


Gods of Their Own Design

by 19Z



Category: God of War, God of War 4, NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-21 15:53:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14918349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/19Z/pseuds/19Z
Summary: This story will go over a fan idea in the God of War universe following the final scene in GOW4. After fighting Thor, Kratos and Atreus want to leave Midgard before instigating any further progress toward Ragnarok and the Jotunn prophecy. Sindri, Mimir, and Brok will help them find a new land with Gods that aren't horrible. Turns out they can't totally avoid Ragnarok, even changing the outcome by leaving. This story will mature into a GOW/Nier crossover using the Jörmungandr time jump. (Usually it just throws Jörmungandr back in time to repeat Ragnarok. This time Kratos' and Atreus' decisions create a totally different time jump.) Currently, Kratos and Atreus have been transported to the world of Nier: Automata.The organization so far isChapter 1-Deciding to leaveChapter 2-Leaving and encounter with other PantheonChapter 3-Disaster and CrossoverChapter 4-Kratos and Atreus in Nier: Automata UniverseChapter 5 and 6 continue the narrative.





	1. Exodus

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.

Following the first thaw of a three year winter, the Aesir God Thor traveled to Midgard. Thor sought vengeance for the deaths of his sons Magni and Modi, as well as his half-brother Baldur. However, above all he sought to end the looming threat of Ragnarok. 

The Aesir feared Ragnarok more than anything, and the actions of Atreus and Kratos had obviously hastened its onset. The three-year winter, Fimbulwinter, had killed all but a handful of resourceful humans. Surtr the Fire Giant had returned in the south with an army behind him. Midgard had become a barren realm. Finding Kratos and his son was simple.

Upon confronting Kratos and Atreus, a battle ensued. Though Thor was easily the mightiest Aesir God, Kratos showed a lasting endurance of strength. His son Atreus also boasted formidable skill with a bow, using enchanted arrows to help his father fight. Eventually young Atreus, now 15 years old, was taken out of the fight. But his father wouldn’t be defeated. The Leviathan axe met Mjolnir well in battle in the hands of a competent warrior. Thor could not be killed by the duo, but he could also not destroy them. After leveling the forest and their home, Thor and Kratos ran out of will to fight. Thor’s retreat was encouraged by the shifting body of Jörmungandr indicating the sounds of their fight had awoken him. Thor was in no shape to handle Jörmungandr, and Kratos’ self-healing ability was legendary to many living Gods. Fear drove the Aesir God back to the realm transport room and back to Asgard. 

Jörmungandr met Atreus and Kratos where they recovered. They had moved several miles toward the Lake of Nine to escape fires in the forest. Kratos set Atreus down and awaited Jörmungandr. The serpent’s head could be seen approaching for a considerable period. 

The enourmous serpent nodded his acknowledgment to Kratos but understood he wouldn’t understand his words.

Atreus was still unconscious from a direct hit of Mjolnir’s return swing after proving himself a nuisance, but he was breathing normally. Kratos and the serpent sat idly waiting for Atreus. The air hummed with the residual power of Thor’s direction. His presence in Midgard seemed to set static in any material that could serve as a medium. This spot was close enough to the water and far enough from the still-burning forest to avoid being accosted by the acrid white smoke of burning brush.

When Atreus awoke he was greeted by Jörmungandr taking up 80% of his visual field as well as his father in the foreground. Peering over his shoulder, he was able to take in the outcome of the battle. Bellowing smoke poured out of trees laid flat by shock waves. Some were flash-burned by Thor’s lightening. Others still burned slowly from the residual energy seeped into the soil itself. Looking back at his father he spoke:

“We won?” His father nodded in response. “We won! I can’t believe Thor, the God of Thunder, came to Midgard just to squash us and we beat him!”

“And why not?” Kratos responded. “You have developed considerable abilities and I..I—have experience.”

“You are old, huh?” Atreus’ tone suggested a joke. Kratos was ostensibly immortal. Though his specific labors have obviously taken their toll. Kratos wore deep frown lines that were abruptly cut off by his thick beard that grew somewhat wild only recently. His face was weathered but not wrinkled, save for around the eyes. Atreus thought to himself that he really had no idea how old his father was. He couldn’t be older than Thor, right?

Atreus had gotten a good look at the Aesir God’s face. Though he arrived wearing heavy fur capes and shawls to guard from the cold, he left with little more than the cloth covering his loin and the leather shoulder bracers that formerly held his several capes down. A deep wound covered his left eye, where Atreus’ father had driven the Leviathan into Thor’s skull only so deep before the God’s hands clasped the blade on either side. In his eye at that moment was the disbelief at his proximity to death. He had thoroughly underestimated the duo. Even outside of that moment, Atreus saw fear in Thor’s face. That fear resembled the anxious temperament of both of his sons and his half-brother. The barbs directed at the Aesir regarding their arrogance and their cowardice seemed to be trustworthy.

From these thoughts his attention turned to the serpent, Jörmungandr, who had begun speaking to him. The boy understood his words fine.

“Loki, Thor was here in Midgard and I slept through it!” Jörmungandr’s words blasted the beach in his ancient tongue that just him, Mimir and Atreus could speak anymore.

“My father and I fought him. We won.”

“I see.” Responded the serpent. “But the Aesir cannot behave. They’ll return for you. Seek shelter from them.”

“Jörmungandr says we should run.” Atreus paraphrased for his father.

“He is right. If the Gods of Asgard continue to descend on us, they’ll tear the realm apart. We have no business in the Aesir apocalypse.” Kratos replied.

“Not according to the Jotunn…mother.”

“Boy.”

Atreus had seen the prophecy wall in the Jotenheim temple. The battle between Jörmungandr and Thor depicted Loki, Atreus, on the serpent’s side. Beside that was a depiction of his father, who seemed to lay his life down for Atreus. The ordering of events was unclear. 

“Sorry. You’re right. It’s not our fight.” Atreus knew it wasn’t their fight. But as the ostensive final surviving Jotunn, it was in some way his fight. It was his mother’s fight.  
Atreus spoke to Jörmungandr. “What will you do without us here? What about Ragnarok?”

The serpent seemed surprised by his question “Without you I will await Thor, or Surtr, and Ragnarok will come. I’ve experienced it multiple times. It is never the same.”

“What do you mean it’s never the same?” Atreus asked.

“When I first fought Thor, indeed you were with me. But as a God of more than 500 years old. That world survived longer than this one, or perhaps you came about earlier somehow. Either way, I cannot ask a child’s allegiance in fighting for a world they have barely witnessed. The Jotunn still had holdings in that world when Ragnarok came, as did the Dwarves. This world is especially cold in comparison.”

Atreus didn’t expect the serpent to be so understanding. But Jörmungandr had experienced an untold number of life and death cycles, somehow retaining memories through the process. Wisdom is the only gift imparted to him for his labors.

“If you’re sure…we need to go see Sindri, Brok, and Mimir. Can you take us to the realm transport room?”

The serpent nodded and lowered his head to the beach. Atreus gestured for his father to step on, and they were off.

“We need to go to the mystic gateway outside the realm travel room.” Atreus commented, assuming his father had come to the same conclusion.

“Yes. Brok and Sindri will have the best idea on what our next move should be.”

Jörmungandr left them at the doorway. They entered and accessed the mystical gateway and travelled through to Brok and Sindri’s shop in the mountains. Upon arriving, they noticed only Brok was present.

“Brok! Where’s Sindri and Mimir?” Atreus asked. Brok heard them arrive.

“Ahhh, Sindri up and left for Tyr’s vault to look into this damn apocalypse. He took the head to help ‘im with the research.”

“Why did he do that? And didn’t you see? The first thaw has arrived.” Atreus responded.

“Well, I suppose he felt helpless with all this snow. So he and the head went to go get some details about the upcoming…erh… With all the people gone and you two snowed in, Midgard’s weapons market is as frozen as the soil! I suppose I didn’t notice the thaw. Been in here freezing my arse off and trying to relearn readin’.” Brok answered.

“S’posen you’ll be wanting to go and see them, just head through the gateway you came through. You’ll see the vault.” He continued, gesturing them away.

“Thanks Brok. But are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Atreus asked.

“Nah I think I’ll stick around here and see if it warms up any now the thaws here.” Brok continued to gesture them away.

“Boy. Let’s go.” Kratos said, intending to heed Brok’s request.

The pair travelled through the gateway and arrived at the vault.

“Kratos, Atreus, it’s been too long! What brings you two here?” Sindri greeted them.

“Thor came to Midgard.” Kratos commented.

“Thor?! In Midgard?!” Mimir yelped. “When? Where?”

“Just earlier! But dad and I showed him.”

“Is that what all of that shaking was before?!” Sindri inquired in terror. “I just thought Jörmungandr was tossing in his sleep or something.”

“Is he…” Mimir began to ask. Kratos picked up the question.

“No. He was forced to retreat when the serpent awoke.”

“So you forced Thor out of Midgard…Well lads, to my knowledge, you two are the first force to make Thor do anything of that sort. But…” Mimir trailed off.

“The Aesir will be back, so long as we are here.” Kratos commented. “The serpent came to a similar conclusion.”

“So, what will you do now?” Sindri asked.

“We leave.” Kratos said.

Sindri appeared shocked. Mimir responded. “Hm…given the recent activity of the Aesir, that may be for the best.”

Sindri looked at Mimir shocked, now.

“What do you mean? What else have they done?” Atreus asked.

“Aye, true, how would you have found out? Well, Odin had Fenrir killed, for starters.”

‘What?! Fenrir is dead?” Atreus responded.

“Aye. Odin is deathly afraid of the prophecy of Ragnarok including his being eaten by the big dog. So he had Thor and Vidarr slay him before he could eat the sun or Odin. On top of that, Freya has been unhexed by Odin. Allowing her to participate in combat should Surtr encroach further north. The Aesir are preparing for the end in every way imaginable.” 

“Does Odin think making the prophecy untrue will prevent Ragnarok?” Atreus asked.

“Aye, it seems. Though I don’t know if he’s really convinced himself of that, let alone the other Aesir.”

“Jörmungandr says the cycle always takes place no matter how circumstances don’t match the prophecy. The fact he’s still here must mean he’s right.” Atreus responded.

“Or that there is no Ragnarok at all.” Kratos interjected. 

“I couldn’t be sure since I’ve never witnessed one. But either way, every Aesir is convinced and behaving as such.” Mimir responded.

“So what are our options?” Atreus asked. His father’s attention focused on him.

“I had thought of bringing you back to my homeland now that the Pantheon is gone. But going back…me going back is not fair to the people I left without Gods.” 

“If it’s of any solace to you, I hear they’re doing quite a sight better than us here. Last I heard the people there were still free.” Mimir responded.

“…Good.” Kratos said quietly.

“If you’re looking for a new place to stay, the works of Tyr’s we’ve gone through have mentioned all kinds of foreign lands with Gods of…differing temperaments.” Sindri commented

“We’ll have to find Gods that are welcoming, right father?”

“Mm” Kratos responded, perhaps hinting that he didn’t have experience with such Gods.

“Well…” Mimir interjected. “That might not be as crazy as it seems, it turns out. Tyr consorted with quite a few Pantheons. One in particular he states in his writing welcomed him and showed him a culture where the Gods and mortals worked in harmony. In fact, one such God used to travel here to Midgard to exchange notes regarding Tyr’s expeditions with me.”

“Where is such a place?” Kratos inquired incredulously.

“Not close. It would take a mortal lifetime to travel there on foot or by cart. Tyr must have used some sort of travel system to go to and from there.” Mimir responded. “The good news is we just have to find the key here. It’s most likely a rune like the Black Rune of Jotenheim.”

“That is good news.” Atreus responded sarcastically. 

“Well. Jokes aside. It should be around here somewhere, but after 3 books full of travel runes, we have none that fit such a destination.”

“What if we helped you gather all the materials together? Would that help?” Atreus asked.

“Well we’ve gone the last 3 months with two hands and three eyes so I think any help would do good.” Mimir scoffed.

They spent several days working in the library of the vault. Eventually finding books that mention travel runes for the desired destination. 

“You see the problem? The damn rune is encrypted in a sigil!” Mimir lamented. “This is just like Tyr.”

“You can’t read it?” Kratos asked.

“It’s not that I don’t recognize the symbols. I just don’t know what order they are constructed in in order to create the sigil. Without a key to the sigil, the rune is almost impossible to decode.” Mimir responded.

“Wait..” Atreus interjected somewhat weakly. “I think I..see something.”

Atreus worked with the sigil for some time, tracing on a separate paper several possible deconstructions. After a while, he narrowed it down to three distinct runes. When he showed Mimir the paper, Mimir’s eye and the second example glowed together. 

“That’s got to be it, lad! The rune reacts with Jotunn sight. Looks like we’re ready to go…” His voice implied he was sad to leave. Knowing this was to be a trip out of Midgard for the duration of Ragnarok, he wouldn’t have a chance to return. But mortals like him didn’t stand to fair well against any aspect of Ragnarok.

Atreus, Kratos, and Mimir prepared to leave on a journey with their survival as their only purpose. Midgard was destined to reset itself. But Atreus still had doubts related to leaving his home. Sensing his apprehension, Mimir spoke to the boy.  
“Leaving home is not easy for me either, lad. Even if I have fewer things to pack.”

“It’s not that…or it’s not only that. In Jotenheim, the prophecy wall showed we were there at Ragnarok. I was there, fighting Thor with Jörmungandr.” Atreus responded.

“Your mother could’ve set you two up to see that wall knowing your Da’ would turn tail before getting involved in the downfall of the Aesir.” 

“But mother…the Jotunn. The Aesir deserve to pay for how they treated them.”

“Aye, lad, and they will. But this way you and your Da' don’t have to pay as well. She knew you two were Gods. She knew your clocks were running on a different scale. Yo—"

“Your destiny is not revenge, Atreus.” Kratos spoke his son’s name to differentiate dictation from communication.

They prepared a gateway to use the travel rune on. With no way to herald Kratos, Mimir, and Atreus’ arrival, they wonder how even these friendly gods will meet them, wherever they show up.


	2. The Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kratos, Atreus, Mimir, and Brok travel to the realm between realms in order to leave Midgard. While travelling in the realm they go over the basic lore of the pantheon they intend to meet. While inside, they meet two figures. A conversation takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter serves to introduce themes into the story as well as set up the narrative's crossover. I intend to work the crossover in toward the end of Chapter 3. Let me know what you think.

 

 “You all aren’t thinking of going through there all willy nilly are ya?” Brok entered through the mystic gateway already speaking.

"How did you know we were planning to leave?" Atreus asked.

"Ah, I saw you come through my shop with that stupid look on your face carrying everything ya own. I assume it's the end of the line." Brok responded. “This isn’t some trip around the realms, you know? You’re going to need some help.”

“Have you been to our destination?” Kratos asked.

“I suppose not, but us dwarves been using the gateways for millennia and Sindri here ain’t got one quarter the experience I do in there.”

“What makes this any different than our previous trips through the gateways?” Kratos asked

“Well, distance, brother.” Mimir responded

“Yup. Even on the mystic plane locations maintain a relative distance, and you’ll probably encounter, oh, a couple hundred exits that aren’t your right one.” Brok added. “For travelling within the nine realms, the gateways are all relatively close. Leaving the realms all together’s a different story.”

“And how can you aid us?” Kratos asked.

“I can read maps.” Brok boasted.

  
“It’s true.” Sindri confirmed. “Brok, here, could always find his way around the mystic plane using maps of the realms. He’s responsible for placing quite a few of the gateways you two have used.”

  
“You’re really amazing, Brok.” Atreus commented.

  
“Can you read this?” Kratos handed Tyr’s map to Brok.

  
“This…this is quite a-ways. But yea, it should be just fine.” Brok seemed confident in his words. “What are we waiting for?” He asked.

  
“Alright. I’ll…just be here…” Sindri commented weakly.

  
“Ahh I’ll be back. Don’t worry, Sindri. I’m just dropping the lot off.”

  
“What will you two do during Ragnarok?” Atreus asked.

  
“We have our own plans.” Sindri said.

  
“But the realms is home for us.” Brok added. “Let’s get moving. It’ll take us hours to get this far! And I still got to make a return trip.”

  
The brothers shook hands and the group prepared for departure. They entered the gateway to the realm between realms. Ground of plain white soil and grey vegetation met grey skies with no clear borders. In practice, the plane amounted to a relatively thin path of traversable land bordered by endless sky on all sides. Land seemed to continue appearing in front of them as they travelled. The vegetation resembled what could be found in Midgard, except it differed from present Midgard vegetation in that it wasn’t withered and dead. The only plants to survive Fimbulwinter were sturdy trees, of which Thor felled a great number battling Kratos and Atreus. Everything else had died years earlier. Animals and humans were affected soon after.

  
The group walked for a short while before someone spoke.

  
“Mimir. You said you worked with a God from this place. Did you know them well?” Atreus broke the silence with the question.

  
“Oh, aye. We knew each other well. I’m talking over 500 years of correspondence. Mostly we had a project set before us, such as novelizing Tyr’s travels or preparing more scholarly sources from his findings. But often we would consort as friends, telling one another the events of importance to us as well as the history of our lands. He was an interesting fellow. But when Tyr died, and Odin captured me, obviously we lost touch.”

  
“Your friend didn’t come to save you?” Atreus asked with a judgmental tone.

  
“He was…unique. His will was that of the many and the many could not be concerned with the comfort of one man.” Mimir responded.

  
“’Comfort’ puts it mildly, head.” Kratos commented.

  
“Aye, perhaps. But like I said before, these Gods work closely with the mortals of their realm, and so his allegiances lied elsewhere.”

  
“The Gods of Olympus often interfered with the lives of mortals…I trust that you acknowledge a difference.” Kratos responded.

  
“Yes, of course.”

  
“Then what are these Gods like?” Atreus asked.

  
Mimir responded. “Well, I’ve only met one. But I did know him well and he often told stories about the origin of the pantheon. To my memory the tale goes like this:

     A being…a consciousness known to the people as Chineke molded this realm into existence by the power of will, alone. Chineke created a world of perfection. Mortals didn’t die violent deaths, they needed little to survive. Life on the land was paradise for all beings.

  
     But through observing the land, Chineke’s will changed. Chineke’s new will sought to divide the world so that it could become imperfect and complex. Humans were split into male and female. Violent deaths occurred along with peaceful ones. Chineke themselves was split into Chi and Eke, each doing the will of good and evil. The realm was profoundly changed. Humans lamented their new complicated lives and conflict became common. But after some time, Chi and Eke came to the same conclusion that they no longer served a purpose and they uh…stopped existing as physical Gods. Their wills were eliminated and the divisions that they created began to rejoin in new ways. Individuals experienced a balance of good and bad events. The land became peaceful once again. Mortals now experienced much more complicated existences and their organization changed to adapt.

  
     Following a period of fast-paced growth in human settlements, the conflicting nature of the reality Chi and Eke created sowed seeds of further mortal conflict. Factions formed to amass and protect resources in growing population centers. Organizations formed to ensure powerful people would die peaceful deaths and not experience things that mortals had deemed bad. Individual humans no longer experienced a balance of good and bad things in their lives as agencies worked to secure as much power as they could while spreading evil.

  
     At a crucial moment in a great war between humans, reports of a kingdom rising into existence overnight spread to the belligerents. According to reports, the citizens of the kingdom worked fastidiously to produce items that were needed all throughout the area. They gave these resources out without claim for compensation. The warriors of the kingdom were a group of 8 or 10, reportedly all capable of stopping an army by themselves.

  
     While the warriors worked to blunt warlords’ blades, the citizens produced goods for the betterment of all and wars ended due to a lack of purpose for them. Even the great war that preceded the appearance of the mysterious kingdom ended when a coalition of forces helped by the kingdom threatened to crush both belligerents.

  
After the Age of War had ended, the warriors of the mysterious kingdom were named the Gods of the realm and its city was opened to all. The Gods pledged allegiance to the will of humanity, so long as it doesn’t contradict the professed will of Chineke again.

  
“That’s all I know.” Mimir concluded.

  
“That’s a lot to remember” Atreus commented.

  
“These Gods are warriors then?” Kratos asked.

  
“Not that I’m aware. From the stories I’ve been told, the Gods there have not been violent against humanity since the great war.” Mimir responded.

  
“Mm.” Kratos’ answer gave little hint to his thoughts.

  
The group walked on for quite a while, talking little. Brok made occasional comments about the map and gave general directions.

  
As they continued to walk through the white wasteland, they came upon two figures standing on an elevation. This is the first time any of them had ever met someone while in-between realms. Kratos reached back to place a hand on the handle of the Leviathan, concerned with what threat might be present.

  
“Well, who might you all be?” said the first figure; a tall man of dark brown skin and hair that was short, white, and curled. His face showed a smile as if to reassure the travelers his countenance mirrored his intentions.

  
“Whoever they are, we know where they’re from.” Remarked the other figure, whom didn’t show any physical gendered characteristics. Their skin was a deep brown different from the man’s, their hair was grown out, pushed back by a headband of ornate design, and tied into it were threaded stones, beads, and crystals.

  
“Well, in the one case, we know from where they came physically. Yes, Eshu, you’re correct. But you haven’t to know where they come from until you hear from them where they came!” He said confidently. His eyes contained jubilation, his smile had remained unchanged except to speak.

  
“A person’s story is important, Eshu.” He noted rhetorically. His countenance became serious.

  
“A God’s story more so. Don’t you think?” Kratos’ hands curled into fists at his sides, tightening at the man’s performance of knowledge.

  
“As usual, your ambition for the truth and your hospitable nature have revealed too much. The consequences mount, brother.” Eshu didn’t speak with anger. The truth was set there plainly.

  
“My nature, sibling? Ha. Perhaps I could employ more tact when revealing my deductions.” His sights retrained on Kratos, Atreus, and Brok. His smile long-since returned.

“My sibling came here with me for this exact purpose: to instill mindfulness, haha! But to quell the tension I’ll admit I only deduced that you are Gods, considering you’ve found and decoded the sigil our delegation left with the God, Tyr. Also, that ax you have there doesn’t scream ‘mortal!’ about its bearer.”

  
“You knew Tyr?” Atreus inquired.

  
Eshu answers the boy. “Yes. Tyr was a companion to us. Not really an ally. He had his battles, and we had our own problems. But Chukwu saw in Tyr a God under stress and so we welcomed and supported him as a divine scholar and traveler. I think Chukwu saw in Tyr the spirit of a God that wished to evolve.”

  
“Who is Chukwu?” This time Kratos asked, as if startled by the implication of hierarchy among these “friendly” Gods.

  
“Chukwu was Chineke. Creator of the world and present constituent of our reality. Chineke created the world and divided Eke and Chi out of themselves in order to have them divide the world Chineke created. The world was divided between powers of Chi and Eke, dichotomy in divinity. Man and woman, living and dead, our world was divided. But after this stage of creation Chineke no longer had a purpose for continuing to exist in this format. So Chineke became Chukwu, a unified idea of every aspect of reality. Because of this process, reality now acknowledges how the divisions presented during creation are in fact part of one process, and that any of the divisions touch at some point, thus eliminating the contradiction. Chineke created reality through division, then purposed reality through unification. Chukwu is the spirit of that idea and that spirit encompasses all of our actions.” Ikenga’s explanation seemed to sate Atreus’ curiosity.

  
“And who are you?” Kratos’ words bit with some edge, indicating that the ontological explanation of their king left much to be desired.

  
“We are Alusi.” Eshu responded, seemingly suddenly carefree about divulging information to the ashen skinned axman. “We are the ongoing physical manifestation of Chukwu’s will.”

  
“What do you mean?! Mimir what does that mean?” Atreus peaked around his father’s waist at the usually talking head.

  
“They seem to have the answers around here lad.”

  
“Mimir?” The man chimed inquisitively. “Is that you, my friend?”

  
“I..who—I can’t see who addresses me, the voice does seem familiar…”

  
“It’s fair that you forget, considering it must be at least 1,000 cycles since we last saw each other in person. You don’t remember peeling through Tyr’s expedition reports with me in his vault, back when that meant something?”

  
“Ikenga?” Kratos had unhitched Mimir’s head from his belt and turned it to see the man as he addressed him.

  
“Mimir!” This man’s smile challenged the flash of Mjolnir’s lightning. “Tell me, brother, why have you come with Gods? I heard what happened with Odin, all of his wrath and such. We were deeply troubled by the news of your caputure…and Tyr…” Ikenga trailed off.

  
“Ikenga?” Kratos muttered to Mimir.

  
“Aye. Alusi God of Achievement, Will, and Time. Quite the story teller to boot. The other is Eshu, Alusi God of Divination and Phrophecy.” Mimir returned his attention to the Alusi.

  
“These two are no Aesir Gods. The walking frown you see here is Kratos—” Mimir was cut off.

  
“Kratos?!” Eshu interrupted angrily. “The destroyer of Mount Olympus? The God of War? Ghost of Sparta? Why would you, a supposed friend of the Alusi, bring such a danger to us?”

  
“I-I” Mimir couldn’t think where to begin.

  
“Sibling. This man has a dark past, that I alone can look back and see, but I also look forward. Not with any prophetic vision such as you, sibling, but I do look forward in expectation of growth. Plus, Mimir hangs without a body from the man’s belt and doesn’t cry out as a hostage! Meaning this man must have saved our good scholar from Odin!”

  
“Brother, aren’t you able to see this man—this God’s deeds? It’s true word of Olympus’ destruction is becoming a distant memory, but is there any evidence of this “growth” you expect? Can you see if his deeds have truly shown it, or does he still walk a path marked with blood?”

  
“I can see yesterday, the concept, and tomorrow similarly. Things that occurred some time ago become clear via insight on events and perspectives known to me, but events occurring more recently have less events related to them and so they don’t appear to me with the same clarity. It’s similar to looking into tomorrow for me. I have insight and I can make deductions, but the reality that may or may not escape my vision exists in a perspective no God can access, one of active agency. The same force that toppled Olympus and killed Baldur.”

  
“How do you know about Baldur if that only happened three years ago?” Atreus asked, perplexed.

  
“I had heard news of a true Fimbulwinter from reliable sources. Went delving into my notes on Norse prophecy and here we are!”

  
Eshu interrupts. “So are you the God of Time or the God of Gossip?” The curt statement drew a laugh out of Brok.

  
“Well, sibling, I suppose it’s up to your perspective. Ha ha!”

  
“Ikenga.” Mimir interjected. “I do not bring these boys to you as Gods. Aye, their actions were what hastened Fimbulwinter and all signs indicate that Ragnarok is on its way to Midgard. But the Aesir have wrought the real destruction of Midgard. Without their eradication of the Jotunn who knows when Ragnarok would’ve naturally occurred, if ever! These two were wrapped up in Odin’s violent game of chess, same as me. It just turns out they’re a little better at chess than I.”

  
Eshu interjects again. “So we’re to accept the refugees of Odin’s endgame, are we?”

  
“I don’t ask for any pleasantry that isn’t offered, Eshu. I know you do see futures. Would you tell me what you see in store for Midgard?” Mimir replied

  
“….I see the serpent Jörmungandr, fighting a war without allies in a battle for a place it doesn’t belong. The serpent will fail to kill Thor but Surtr’s advance will prove terminal to Midgard. What that means in the context of your Ragnarok is unclear for now. But what is clear is that the prophecy will change without Loki to guide the beast in battle.” Eshu maintains a sight on Atreus.

  
“Atreus owes the serpent nothing. The boy’s life will celebrate his mother by living without the burden of vengeance.”

  
“Jörmungandr did say he recognized me.”

  
“The serpent recognizes a cycle. A cycle we will break here and now. Just because we are divine does not mean we are the playthings of whatever cycle we are born into.” Kratos placed a hand on Atreus’ shoulder. “We will create our own cycle, with a purpose as far from vengeance as we can manage, hm?”

  
“..Yes, father.” Atreus smiled. His hesitation was borne from so much tension related to their path together.

  
“Eshu. You asked if I had evidence to support my expectation of our friend’s growth. I believe proof stands with him now.” Ikenga looked at Atreus with the same beaming smile he began the encounter with.

  
“I see another future.” Eshu responds. “Even without Loki and Kratos to help defeat the Aesir, Jörmungandr will thrash about Midgard, attempting to force the Aesir out of Asgard to quell him. Eventually they will do just that. They wll meet the serpent in order to stop him from shattering the World Tree, but the collective presence of their powers will be too much for the Tree as well.”

  
“Then Ragnarok is inevitable, give or take a couple hundred winters!” Atreus remarked.

  
“…Perhaps.” Eshu’s response was cold enough to hint that this was not their dominant theory. All was silent for a moment.

  
“Well.” Ikenga interjected. “Let’s get you guys to the gate. I’m sure your dwarf friend here would’ve found it eventually, but in truth, we came out here to make sure you didn’t get lost when I noticed Tyr’s gate was active.”

  
“And I’ll be going now.” Brok commented with a turn. “Thanks for the help, Brok! Oh well you’re quite welcome, there! I got short legs for this sort of thing, but I does it cuz I care.” He continued as he walked off.

“Tyr’s gate?” Atreus inquired as the group began to follow the pair.

  
“Yes, it’s a zone for transport into Chukwu’s territory from anywhere with the sigil and the knowledge to use it. Back in his prime, Tyr would visit us on his way back from all of his journeys and tell stories for the Alusi.” Eshu answered.

  
“I suppose between Tyr’s exploits and Mimir’s insights, I became privy to enough information on history and theory to earn the reputation of God of Time.” Ikenga laughed at the thought.

  
“So if you’re just really smart, what piece of Chukwu’s will do you embody?” Atreus asked Ikenga.

  
“Ahh a great question. I see you’ve been paying attention. You remind me of, well, me. Ha! Beyond my reputation as the God of Time, I embody the ambition of Chukwu. I embody ambition to achieve things in both the mortal and immortal context. I embody the drive of the mortal to produce for the service of themselves and their community as well as I embody the will that originally sustained Chineke while they created our reality. I have made sense of the ambitions present in both types of endeavors. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

  
“...Yes” Atreus answered.

  
“So, you are the embodiment of the ambition of the entity that willed your own existence?” Kratos asked, surprising everyone.

  
“Ha! Yes. I have thought about that, myself. Though my Alusi siblings embody equally constituent aspects of Chukwu’s will, I embody, or attempt to embody the will itself. Creation can seem very purposeful but really it’s rather meaningless.” Ikenga stated not realizing how discordant his final thought was.

  
“The inverse could also be true, brother.” Eshu interjected.

  
Several more minutes of walking found them at the familiar wooden door of the transport system. When Ikenga opened the door, they were inside a building that looked shockingly similar to the décor of Tyr’s temple.

  
“Don’t freak out. You have arrived. Tyr just wasn’t a very imaginative interior decorator.” Ikenga joked. As he and Eshu walked to the large doors and pulled from either side.  
The land on the other side confirmed they had travelled far.

The air was warm and not humid, the polar opposite of Midgard weather. Long grass tickled the sandaled feet of Atreus and Kratos as they walked out onto a meadow with no buildings in sight except the gate’s housing behind them.

  
“Where is everybody?” Atreus asked the pair.

  
“Tyr’s gate was constructed more or less in the middle of nowhere as not to disrupt the lives of mortals in the area. Though mortals find it fairly often, they are not made to fear it. The Gods here serve mortals as well as serving nature.” Ikenga answered while taking a bright crystalline object out from his dress and holding it in his palm.

  
“Because mortals are part of nature?” The boy asked.

  
“Precisely, they’re natural. Therefore, so are any unsatisfactory outcomes yielded from our continued service.” Eshu responded.

  
“It is not unilateral, either.” Ikenga added. “The same way in which I embody the will and ambition of the immortals, I also exist as I do now in relation to the ambition and will of mortals.”

  
“So you draw your strength from the will of the people?” Atreus asked.

  
“No. I am the will of the people, and the will of the Gods. If either party loses their will, my power would become constituent only to the remaining ambition under Chukwu’s watch. In that way, my form and power are dictated by the forms of will that exist in this realm.”

  
“So if the ambition of the mortals became greedy or evil, how would that affect you?” Atreus asked

  
“I would take it into consideration. But so long as the ambitions of the Gods didn’t sink to the same level, I would be merely conflicted, not lost.”

  
“And if both parties became consumed by greed?” Kratos wanted the answer enough to phrase the tough question.

  
“Then I would cease being necessary as I am. If the true nature of this land’s will were to change, I would change with it. After all, the conscious create Gods.”

  
“What do you mean?” Atreus asked.

  
“Whether we are 'God' or not is up to the conscious majority to dictate, as goes for our immortality. Immortals are not immortal relative to one another; therefore, the denomination is a construction by the agency that most benefits from being able to name a God so. That agency usually being the mortals that seem to always find their subservience underneath us. Mortality, divinity, humanity, are all constructs, related to one another, we use because they are convenient to the majority.” Ikenga spoke seriously but his smile only dimmed. “Kratos. You understand these relativities and the power of perception., yes? You didn’t know you were a God until after you gave your soul away, right?” 

  
“Correct…” Kratos responded.

  
“Well Gods here do not manipulate and prey on the known perception of mortals or others. Here we acknowledge the mortal as the integral aspect of sustaining divinity, while the immortal stands the best chance at destroying it.”

  
“You might be the only ones.” Kratos responded.

 

“Yes. I think you may be right. In many instances, like brother Ikenga said, God and mortal become placeholder terms to denote power dynamics.” Eshu commented.

 

“Makes you wonder what a world without Gods would look like.” Atreus mentioned. Not realizing his statement was fatalistic to 80% of the group.

 

“…Yes.” Kratos responded. The two showed their experiences with Gods on their sleeves.

 

“Philosophical differences aside, we can offer you safe refuge here for the time being. Would you like to return to our capital city with us?” Eshu asked kindly while Ikenga interacted with the crystal in his palm, indicating that it was an interface for another travel system.

.

Kratos hesitated in that moment. Though they had come too far to turn back, returning with these Gods to their capital city could be a danger. Before Kratos could consider his response, Atreus answered.

  
“The Mysterious Kingdom? I would love to see it!”

  
Eshu’s eyes widened in amusement at the mention of the ancient title.

  
“Mimir, have you been telling these boys my stories?” Ikenga inquired with a laugh.

  
“Only to calm their nerves about coming here.”

  
“Well, fear not. We believe you three harbor no ill will toward the Alusi, and like all, you are welcome. Are you ready to come with us to the city?” Ikenga asked

  
Kratos looked to the blue skies over the lands and replied.

  
“…Yes.”


	3. In And Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter starts with a trip to the Alusi capital and goes on to tell how Atreus and Kratos find themselves in trouble again. From here on the story will be focused in the Nier universe in the Nier: Automata timeline. (Post-E ending.) Let me know what you think.

   
Bright light flashed around them, and in an instant the group stood just outside of a towering array of buildings. Pearlescent structures reflected the light of the sun, generating a skyline of multiple colors that stood against a backdrop of the orange evening sky. Kratos, Atreus, and Mimir followed Ikenga and Eshu, whom moved with purpose through bustling streets.

  
“We’re going to take you to a house of a friend. She will be happy to see visitors, and we’d like to give you a proper welcome.” Eshu stated, looking back at the group following behind.

  
“Thank you so much for your hospitality!” Atreus exclaimed.

  
“You’re quite welcome. Guests are a good sign for the future in my experience.” Eshu commented as they winded through semi-busy streets.

  
“Let’s hope Mbari feels similarly.” Ikenga joked.

  
“She went out of her way to tell me she was in, this morning. I trust she’ll be expecting at least some company.” Eshu commented. “Anyways, she also told me she needed to review the arts of the season, here in the city.”

  
“Why does she do that?” Atreus asked.

  
“Mbari is the patroness of a ritual form of art named for her. Mortals seclude themselves for some time out of the year in order to create works like statuettes, masks, drawings, paintings, and more. These artists construct small houses for their arts to be held in. Once they’re done, the house is opened to the public, signifying an invitation to Mbari herself to view the pieces. Then they are left within the house, in order for both to break down and return to the land.” Eshu answered.

  
“Yes. This process is repeated yearly, as a reflection of the natural cycle.” Ikenga responded as Eshu and himself directed the group down a side-street revealing residential buildings, a change from the storefronts and public grounds they had passed.

They walked by several almost identical homes before coming to a stop at one door. Ikenga laid a firm knock on the it one might think would frighten those inside, but after a few moments of waiting, the door opened. The woman who met them on the other side was about Atreus’ height. Her hair was long and braided and she was dressed in clothes fit for an adventurer.

  
“Ikenga! You’ll knock it down.” She remarked laughing and embracing him in a hug. “Eshu, I wasn’t sure my correspondence reached you before you left. But I stuck around just in case.”

  
“I regret not sending a response, but I was rushed.” Eshu responded, glancing towards Ikenga.

  
“You asked to come with me!” Ikenga exclaimed.

  
“And who might these two be?”

  
“Well, with Mimir, they are three. But he is easy to miss.” Ikenga joked.

  
He gestured an open hand towards the group. “This is Kratos, and this is his son Atreus. They travel to seek some shelter here. And hitched onto the big man’s belt is my friend Mimir, who has seen taller days.”

  
“Ha ha. I see. I have company, but there is room for you all. Please, come in.”

  
“Company?” Ikenga asked as he crossed the threshold to the abode.

  
“Ikenga, how are you?” Came a voice from inside.

  
“Amadioha, brother!” Ikenga exclaimed. “I do well, and I bring guests.”

  
“Yes, I heard. Interesting times, if you ask me.” Amadioha responded, walking over to Eshu to exchange a hug while the rest of the group entered the abode.  
“I question what force sends the mighty Kratos to our fair lands.” He continued with his eyes trained on the Spartan.

  
Kratos eyes narrowed in recognition of Amadioha’s words.

  
“Come now, Brother. Let them inside first, before you impose, hm?” Ikenga responded, gesturing the others to enter the home.

  
“How do you know father?” Atreus inquired.

“Hm? Oh, this one here has quite the reputation all over. I suppose no reputation spreads faster than that of a God killer.” His words seemed accusatory, but his body language contained no tension as he moved about the interior of the abode.

  
“And who are you?” Kratos asked incredulously.

  
Mimir interjected. “This is Amadioha. Alusi God of Thunder.”

  
“Thank you for the introduction, kind head.” The God spoke as he poured multiple cups from a jug and placed them on a tray. He walked the tray over to the group, gesturing everyone who could to take a cup.

  
When the tray contained two cups, he took one off and handed it to Kratos. He spoke.

  
“Do not fret, my friend. Just as you have a reputation for killing them, so do the Olympians have a reputation for being just the worst.”

  
Kratos took a drink from the cup.

  
“At any rate, please, do all have a seat. We can put the head…here.” Mbari said, pointing to a counter.

  
“I would love to stay and catch up, but I have a pressing matter to attend to. It was great to see you, Mbari, Amadioha. It was also nice to meet you all. It’s been awhile since we’ve entertained such interesting guests.” Eshu responded. They held the door as if to signify they would soon leave everyone on the other side of it.

 

  
Ikenga, Amadioha, Kratos, Mimir, and Atreus gathered in the common sitting area while Mbari cut and prepared food for cooking. Bored with the conversations taking place amongst the four adults, Atreus got up and found his way to the kitchen.

  
“Do you need any help, Mbari?”

  
The woman looked at the boy and smiled. “Oh, aren’t you sweet. Here, you can peel these.” She handed Atreus a long brown object and a small knife. “The skin is thick, so don’t be afraid.”

  
“Ok. I’ve never seen a plant like this. What is it?” The boy asked.

  
“It’s a yam. A tuber plant, called such because it grows from within the ground. Many kinds grow on these lands naturally. The sturdier types we use as crops.” Mbari answered the boy as she rinsed a pot of grains.

  
Atreus picked up the lump and took the blade to it, shaving off chunks of skin with each pass.

  
“So, are you Alusi, too?”

  
Mbari chuckled. “No. I have worked with the Alusi ever since they came to be. But as far as I’m aware I am mortal.”

  
“You were here before the Alusi?” Atreus was intrigued.

  
“Yes. We are somewhat connected, however.”

  
“How do you mean?” Atreus asked, still peeling.

  
“Well, the Alusi appeared to end the great war and bring peace to the lands. I was put here to serve as the personal aspect of the land itself, Goddess Ala.” Mbari responded.

  
“Ala?” Atreus asked.

  
“Mm. The first presence Chineke created was the Goddess of earth, Ala, then the skies, the plants, and the animals. From the lessons of growth displayed by her, the mortals are said to have learned to reproduce and create life.”

  
“And why does she need an aspect? What is an aspect?” Atreus asked quickly.

  
“An aspect is a physical form that can more easily interact with the physical and social world than the abstract entity an aspect seeks to represent. Goddess Ala has always been an abstract being. So, she has always required an aspect to carry out her will.” Mbari replied.

  
“Does that make Ikenga the aspect of Chukwu?” Atreus inquired.

  
“You know, I’ve not really thought about it like that. But, yes, in some way all of the Alusi are.”

  
“So, what kinds of things do you do for Ala?”

  
“I travel around Chuwku’s territory, making sure that mortals living there have balanced their existence on Ala. I also oversee the artistic tradition named for me. The cycle of Mbari helps keep me engaged with the people.”

  
“So, is it rare for you to settle down like this?” Atreus asked, now onto peeling a third yam.

  
“Yes. This house usually serves as more of an office for me, like a home-base. Most of the time I spend traveling from place to place.” Mbari answered, cutting the peeled yams into cubes.

  
“It must be hard checking up on all of the lands by yourself. How do you get from place to place?” The boy asked, having finished the third yam and started on the fourth.

  
“For looking after the lands, I have informants in different areas who would let me know if something needed my attention. As for getting there, I have access to the Alusi transport system. One can use a travel crystal to teleport to a preset destination, or a crystal can be used to create static gateways to specific destinations.” Mbari stated, pouring oil into a pan and placing the pan over a flame.

  
“We saw Ikenga use a crystal to take us to the city, but I’ve never seen a crystal gateway.” Atreus responded, placing the fourth and last peeled yam with the others.

  
Mbari cubed the final yam and glanced at the boy, smiling. “Would you like to?” She asked, tossing the cubed yams and other assorted vegetables into the heated pan.

  
Atreus glanced back at the sitting room and his father, who sat with the group as Ikenga and Amadioha carried on a story apparently involving many stoppages for corrections.

  
“Sure!” He responded after a moment.

  
Mbari stirred the ingredients together in the pan and sprinkled some spices into it. “Follow me.” She said, walking down a hallway towards a door. “This house was constructed specifically for me. So, it makes sense that in such a home there are—” she paused to open the door and allow the boy to pass her. “–crystal gateways!”

  
In the room there was one wide wall. In it were 7 crystals, about 10 feet from the ground, and from them a border of brilliant light formed something of a doorway. The light shown white upon first glance, but as Atreus looked on, the light phased through every color he had ever seen. Within the borders of the doorways were different locations, presumably dotted all over Chukwu’s territory.

  
“Wow… Hey! There’s Tyr’s Gate.” Atreus recognized the large gateway structure in the middle of the meadow.

  
“Yes. It doesn’t serve me often, since few people live around that area, but it was important when its common usage meant visitors to these lands.” Mbari responded.

  
“Others came through Tyr’s Gate?” Atreus asked, walking closely to the gateway, holding a hand out to its surface.

  
“For the most part it was only Tyr. Though there were other visitors through the gates from time to time.” Mbari said, turning her attention to a presence down the hall. “How can I help you, Ikenga?”

  
“The question is: how can I help you? Ha ha.” Ikenga remarked. “I came to stir your food, lest we enjoy a bit too much char.”

  
“Oh, I had it under my watch!” Mbari responded. “Come Atreus, your father must be in need of reprieve from these fools.” She remarked with a smirk.

  
When Atreus returned to the sitting area, he noticed his father didn't look bored of the conversation taking place. In fact, his attention was squarely on Mimir, who spoke in the moment. Atreus overheard Mimir’s comment.

  
“Yes, well, where I’m from the God of Thunder serves as a weapon almost exclusively. It’s quite interesting to hear your philosophy concerning your role here.”

  
“Each flash of lightning in Midgard is said to be Thor striking down another Jotunn.” Atreus sat down and added.

  
Amadioha looked on the boy with sadness on his face. “Yes, Thor has quite the reputation for his cruelty.”

  
“Do you know him?” Kratos asked. Amadioha’s attention turned to him.

  
“I know of him. It’s not like us Gods of Thunder have a club. But when I heard tell from Ikenga about the Norse pantheons and their stories, I became interested in researching the fellow that shared my responsibility. I came to realize, through my research, that he doesn’t share my responsibility after all."

  
“What do you mean?” Kratos asked.

  
“Like Mimir said, this Thor seems to be little more than the biting head of the Aesir, performing spectacular feats and assuring the safety of his comrades. I do not operate as a weapon in any regard. My responsibility is to the people.” Amadioha expounded.

  
“How is the God of Thunder responsible to the people?” Atreus asked.

  
“Here, mortals need the lightning and the fires that it creates. When I crash my lightning to the earth, I allow it to seek out a natural path to the ground. Sometimes the bolts hit trees, other times grass. When it does, the fires it creates burn up the underbrush, and in time, the soil becomes naturally more conducive for life of all kinds.” He declared.

“In rare cases I have used my powers on an individual, but never against a people like your Thor has. It would seem that for the Norse, the powers of thunder make for a formidable God of War and not much else.” Amadioha continued.

  
“Mm.” Kratos agreed.

  
“The food is ready.” Mbari proclaimed from the other room.

  
The group sat down to eat, and libations were poured to everyone except Atreus and Mimir. After eating and several hours of continued drinking, inebriation made meaningful conversation the rule of the room, as it often does.

  
“You all came here to avoid something, didn’t you?” Mbari asked, looking at Mimir.

  
“Er, well, yes. The end of Midgard, in short.” Mimir responded.

  
“And what about in long?” Amadioha asked, unconcerned with syntax.

  
“In long…” Mimir mimicked the Alusi. “the World serpent will fight the Aesir for the fate of Midgard and the Nine Realms. The prophecy states that when Thor and the World serpent fight one another, the power present will be too much for the World Tree to handle, and it will shatter, destroying the chronological order of the Nine Realms and throwing Jörmungandr back in time to repeat the cycle.”

  
“A World snake is concise enough to understand, but what is a World Tree?” Amadioha asked.

  
“A World Tree is an organism, usually beyond mortal or even immortal perception, that threads together multiple planes within the same space together.” Ikenga responded before Mimir, if only to lessen the burden of exposition.

  
“Aye. And Yggdrasil is the Tree that holds together the Nine Realms.”

  
“So, Yggdrasil will shatter when Jörmungandr fights the Gods there?” Mbari asked in a tone indicating worry.

  
“That’s one vision Eshu has seen.” Ikenga responded.

  
“And just how big is this snake that a battle with it will destroy such a Tree?” Amadioha asked.

  
“Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, is said to encircle all of the lands.” Mimir answered.

  
“An exaggeration.” The God of Thunder responded shortly.

  
“Mm.” Kratos agreed.

  
“Ay, but I don’t believe it’s literal.”

  
“What do you mean, Mimir?” Atreus asked, showing his usual curiosity.

  
“According to research, done mostly by the Old Vanir gods, Jörmungandr almost perfectly encircles Yggdrasil’s root-bed. In other words, Jörmungandr encircles the entire area the Nine Realms rests on.” Mimir responded.

 

“Then the serpent and the Tree are connected somehow.” Ikenga commented.

  
“The serpent stays in Midgard to guarantee the cycle. But acts as though it is all inevitable. What prevents him from leaving Midgard?” Kratos asked.

  
Amadioha questioned. “Could it be even he is unaware of what wills him there?”

  
“Ay, it seems plausible. Jörmungandr would tell you himself that he has few memories of his life before arriving in Midgard. Only that it was a world much like this one. At any rate, he is convinced the cycle is inevitable.”

  
“This is interesting. Other World Trees do not have titanic beasts accompanying them.” Ikenga responded.

  
“Other World Trees?!” Atreus almost shouted.

  
“Ha ha. Yes. From what I know of, looking backward and forward, there are two other World Trees that exist in this world. One to the East, across land and a sea, the other to the West, across the vast ocean.” Ikenga gestured an expanding width using his hands to demonstrate the ocean’s size.

  
“That’s amazing.” Atreus responded.

  
“Yes. But interesting as well is the will that repeatedly destroys a transcendental being such as a World Tree.” Ikenga looked determined in deep thought.

“In my mind there are only two possibilities. One being: The Tree itself has a will that includes being destroyed and rebirthed, hm?” Ikenga’s speech hinted that he was slightly inebriated from the night’s drinks. The group paused waiting for the God’s second possibility.

  
“…The other?” Atreus asked, the first to become impatient.

  
“The other…is that the will of whom planted the Tree willed the serpent’s intervention, as well.” Ikenga shrugged and sat down, sensing his words had created a dramatic moment to do so.

  
“…The one who planted the Tree?” Kratos asked, bewildered.

  
“Yes. It’s possible that whatever being is powerful enough to transport a beast like the World Serpent to Midgard from some other world could perhaps also “plant” an organism like a World Tree and link their destinies.” Ikenga expounded

  
“These sound like the words of a madman.” Kratos responded.

  
“Ha! You tell me what’s mad about powerful forces proving themselves meddlesome.” Ikenga had leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

  
“But, if Ragnarok is just a cycle installed by a God, what purpose does it serve?” Atreus asked, on the brink of distress.

  
“Hm. I suppose you should tell me. It’s your home. What purpose do the inhabitants of the Nine Realms pursue? What is their ambition?” Ikenga asked the boy, now sitting up and looking at him.

  
“Greed.” Kratos interjected

  
“And stopping Ragnarok…” Atreus added.

  
Ikenga gave a shrug and a humored expression as he sank back into his seat. Upon seeing Atreus’ perplexed expression, he spoke.

  
“It is equally possible that in the same way the conscious create the Gods, perhaps the conscious in the Nine Realms shape the perception of the serpent. His presence helps shape the perception of an inevitable prophecy, thus, continuing investment in the cycle…” Ikenga expounded.

  
“That would mean the source of everyone’s grief is the prophecy itself.” Atreus responded.

  
“Aye. And I imagine a prophecy to be a sight easier to plant than a World Tree.” Mimir commented.

  
“Then what brought Jörmungandr here? And why?” Atreus asked.

  
“I think…” Ikenga began with a pause. “there is much importance in recognizing that what we refer to as a “World Tree” could be but one organism in a greater ecosystem that, in the order of common occurrence, we never perceive. We could then infer the existence of beings that traverse the soil in which a World Tree rests.”

  
“What are you saying?” Kratos asked.

  
“I’m saying, your Jörmungandr could be the manifestation, within our physical bounds of perception, of a natural consumer of what we call a World Tree.” He continued.

  
“But Jörmungandr dies during Ragnarok. How could he consume Yggdrasil?” Atreus asked.

  
“Well, since this particular World Tree is anchored to physical places in our world and others, so too must anything that wished to interact with it. When the physical body of Jörmungandr dies and shatters the World Tree, in that moment, both will be released from their physical bonds. Apparently temporarily.” Ikenga responded.

  
“In that case, Jörmungandr’s memories from before Midgard are from another world with another World Tree…” Atreus stated, feeling he had put it all together.

  
“Yes, that follows.” Ikenga began. “But there stands the question of the serpent’s will.”

  
“Oh, brother. You are obsessed.” Amadioha interjected.

  
“Mm, perhaps. But it is relevant in this case. For a cycle to continue, no matter how primordial the initial interaction, the physical serpent must continue to be willed towards actions that destroy the World Tree, securing the purpose of its higher manifestation’s will.”

  
“Obsessed.” Mbari added with a laugh.

  
“Ha ha! But, I say all of that to say this: It all leads back to the conscious and their actions, Jörmungandr included. His experience observing the never-ending wars between the Aesir and the Vanir, the Light and Dark Elves, the rash actions driven by fear of a prophecy advanced by no one more powerful than its observants, informed his original decision to ally with Loki against the Aesir.”

  
“Jörmungandr fights the Aesir to stop war?” Atreus asked.

  
“That was probably it originally. Now, throughout however many cycles he’s witnessed, I could only guess he carries out the prophecy more or less as a duty to serve as the final mercy for the inhabitants of the Nine Realms.” Ikenga replied.

  
“I can understand that. Waiting around on the Aesir to change their ways proves a maddening endeavor, trust.” Mimir commented.

  
“Then, if Jörmungandr dies without destroying the World Tree in the process, would the Aesir be free to rule forever?” Atreus asked.

  
“Practically, yes, lad.” Mimir’s voice quivered with the implication of his response.

  
“That can’t happen.” Atreus answered, shortly.

  
“Boy. What comes to Midgard is destruction at any rate. The fate of the Gods is no longer our concern.” Kratos told his son.

  
“It isn’t your concern…” He responded quietly.

  
“Lad, your father speaks the truth. Fulfilling Ragnarok means the end for both—” Atreus cut Mimir off.

  
“He only cares about himself! He doesn’t care that Odin had the Jotunn killed but I do. Mother fought for them and left us everything we needed to keep fighting. That fight is supposed to be Ragnarok.” Atreus stood, now, speaking angrily, to the surprise of Mbari and the Alusi brothers.

  
“I keep hearing how you fought the Gods of your home and defeated them all…now all you want to do is run…” Atreus trailed off. He exited the room hastily so no one would have an opportunity to stop him, having finally spoken truly to his father.

Kratos sat in silence for a moment before rising to follow after his son. Ikenga and Mbari followed.

  
They followed Atreus’ trail down the hallway to the room Mbari had shown him. Mbari rushed past Kratos once she became alarmed to the possibility of Atreus’ intentions, swinging open the door to the room of crystal gateways. Kratos followed into the room just after. He saw the gateways and immediately understood their purpose, entering into a panicked state.

  
“Where would he have gone?!” Mbari inquired, also in a panic.

  
Before anyone could answer, Kratos rushed through the gateway to Tyr’s Gate. He was immediately accosted by falling rains and wind from the outdoors. Sprinting up to the building, Kratos approached the doors and threw them open with such force that they would surely never open or close properly again without repair.

  
Inside the building, Kratos saw the entrance to the realm travel system they had arrived through. The field faintly glowed with the energy of a recent activation. Kratos rifled through his bag for the paper on which the activation rune was written, and wrote the symbols into the interface. The entrance erupted back to life with a surface of blue-grey light, indicating the gate was ready to take Kratos back from where he came.

  
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this, brother!” Mimir shouted from the arms of Ikenga, whom had grabbed his friend before following Kratos.

  
Before anyone else could speak, Kratos rushed into the blue-grey field and was transported to the realm between realms, within which he hoped his son hadn’t made it too far.

  
“Atreus!” Kratos shouted. But the response wasn’t from his son. Rather, sounds of terrific collisions coupled with tremors that felt as though they could collapse the ground responded.

  
Kratos found a moment between tremors to shout again. “Atreus!”

  
The skies shrieked with winds he’d never experienced there before, and the ground continued to shake with erratic intensity. Kratos could see pieces of the thin ground give way and fall into the abyss below. The far distant sounds of crashes and explosions continued, as Kratos ran through the realm between realms.

  
“Atreus!!” Kratos cried. He ran over the ground, the sound of rattling chains from his forearms filled his ears along with the winds. The air had become smoky, somehow, as an outcome of the crumbling land and the howling wind. Lost, without even the gift of clear sight in the doldrum world, Kratos fists clenched tightly. The flames of his Spartan Rage engulfed them.

  
But it wasn’t rage that Kratos felt in that moment. It was fear of losing everything, again, that drove him to the edge.

  
“Atreus!!” Kratos screamed out as the fires on his forearms engulfed his arms and chest. Sounds of explosions suddenly halted and the sky issued a new response to Kratos’ pleas, one he could scantly recognize as a single crash of thunder. The ground beneath the God’s feet gave way, as he continued moving in his search for his son.

  
“Father!!” The response cut through the howling wind and rumbling ground. Kratos peered through the smoke and saw a figure waving both arms over their head.

  
“Boy!” Kratos yelled out to his son, who was still some distance from him.

  
Before he could plan a route to the boy’s position a huge section of the ground Atreus stood on gave way. The boy was vaulted into the air by the tiling slab.

  
“Atreus!” Kratos exclaimed, as his son left his sight again behind the falling landmass.

  
Kratos pulled the Leviathan axe from off of his back and slammed it into the up-ending earth. The blade sunk deeply into the soil.

  
The ashen axman used his strength to pull the massive chunk of ground onto the shelf of stable land he stood on. Atreus quickly leaped off of the landmass and joined his father.

  
“I’m sorry father. I just—” Atreus was cut off.

  
“There is no time for explanations. We need to get back to the exit.”

  
“Do you have any idea where it is?” Atreus asked.

  
“…No” Kratos answered.

  
The explosive crashes had become so loud they reverberated throughout the entire body, as though the damage was being done there. Enough ground had collapsed and disintegrated to create a thick fog of dust and debris over what remained.

  
“I can’t see anything!” Atreus yelled.

  
The pair looked around for a familiar landmark, but the realm between realms was completely unrecognizable as it fell apart.

  
“Do you think it’s Jörmungandr and Thor?” Atreus asked.

  
His father had no opportunity to answer as the sounds of collisions resumed and the tremors continued. Kratos and Atreus looked at one another, then at the realm around them. Regret filled Atreus’ face, but it was too late for any of that to matter, and both gods knew that. As the ground beneath them subtly sunk, hinting it would soon give way, Kratos and Atreus locked arms for whatever safety could still be procured.

  
But before the ground underneath them cracked, an explosion so powerfully loud occurred, that no noise seemed to occur afterwards. Kratos and Atreus had just a brief moment to experience the sudden silence before both felt a crack so loud they could believe it happened somewhere within themselves. Following the cracking “sound”, the entire realm quickly fell apart. Not piece by piece, as had been happening previously, but on a more fundamental level. The ground didn’t continue to fall apart in pieces, rather the sky crumbled with it. The entire space fell through into an infinitely black background and the two gods were cast into that void.

  
The two fell. Kratos pulled his son to his chest, desperately trying to protect Atreus with whatever he had.

When he looked at Atreus’ face, he could see he was trying to talk. But the void had no air for the sounds to travel on. The silence was deafening, and the infinite blackness proved visually overwhelming.

  
For a time, neither could be sure if they were falling anymore or suspended within the endless blackness. The realm between realms had completely collapsed, having only ever been a transitional plane held together by the integrity of the exits and entrances. The battle between Jörmungandr and Thor had proved fatal for the World Tree. When it splintered, all of the gateways in the realm between realms abruptly ceased existing. Now Kratos and Atreus were nowhere. If it could be said that they were anywhere, it would be on a single splinter of Yggdrasil as it escaped the bonds of time and space.

The Gods hurtled through seemingly infinite nothing, embraced as closely as possible to avoid losing the only reality left for either of them. It was only when the duo could feel some force tugging on the embrace that they realized the void was not as still as it had first appeared.

  
The tugging grew in intensity. Kratos and Atreus could feel themselves rotating, now, with some quickness. But the source of the pulling energy remained unseen.  
Kratos looked around, frantically trying to catch a glimpse of what pulled both of them forward. He could see nothing.

  
The intensity of the rotation grew until it threatened to pull the pair apart. The energy that they first noticed as a gentle tug now seemed to lock them in course for a destination they didn’t yet perceive. With each spin, now occurring at a frightening frequency, the grip holding Atreus and Kratos became less sure.

  
With one last intense rotation, Atreus was wrenched from his father’s clutches. The boy reached out to Kratos while an invisible current pulled them both forward, erratically.

Kratos watched, as his son was swept a great distance in front of him.

  
He watched as Atreus was yanked toward what he had to believe was a common destination. In just moments, Atreus hurtled far and out of Kratos’ sight.

  
Now alone, for the first time, Kratos could perceive what it was they were being pulled towards, though he still could not see it. Perhaps they were always within it, and the black gaping maw that had consumed his son and now pulled him forth is all the void ever was. In any case, the maw welcomed Kratos as it must have his son. The void no longer seemed to yank violently on Kratos, as it seemed to when he clutched Atreus in his arms. When alone, there was no relativity between the distance of another body and the power of the void to pull them away. He seemed to sail into the gaping blackness. Kratos could feel momentum grow behind him, perhaps merely the sensation of being pulled, flipped by the changed perception of location. Kratos could faintly make out something that broke from the uniform darkness. It looked like a single speck of light. Indeed, Kratos felt, now, that he was within the eye of whatever was animate here.

  
Momentum continued to pick up, as Kratos was moved towards the light. After what felt like hours to him, the speck had grown to the size of a window. The stark contrast of the light against the surrounding blackness proved disorientating to Kratos. As he rocketed towards the window at great pace, he began to lose consciousness. The force continued to pull him forward and through the imperceptible space.

 

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

Atreus opened his eyes and was met with the sight of grass and trees. He believed he was still dreaming from within the void. But every moment after that thought betrayed it. The smell of the air and the sounds of wilderness proved more complex than his imagination had ever furnished. The sights, smells, and sounds shocked Atreus’ senses, actually. As he moved his hands under him to sit up, the fur and hide in his palm felt more real than any dream. He looked around him, noticed a tent, and realized that he sat at a campsite. The world around him seemed very real. But how did he end up here?

  
While pondering that thought, another intruded and made him frantic: Where was his father? He checked the tent and found it empty. Unsure whether he should stay and wait for him at the camp, anxiety got the better of Atreus and he began to search the immediate area.

  
He walked down a slight decline toward the sound of streaming water. Atreus moved slowly and carefully, not sure what to expect from this new place. He noted that the weather wasn’t like in Chukwu’s lands or Midgard, and he was unfamiliar with the vegetation.

  
Atreus followed the stream until he came upon a boar he thought to be abnormally large. Atreus’ quiver was still fastened on his back, but there were no arrows left inside and his bow was nowhere to be found. So, Atreus chose to travel back through the woods, towards the campsite.

  
“Father!” Atreus yelled, letting his anxiety get the better of him again. With no sign of his dad after some time searching, Atreus’ mind raced. His thoughts kept coming back to the look on his father’s face when he found him in the realm between realms, and the void. He began to process doubt as to whether his father was even taken to the same place after they separated. The contradiction of the campsite eluded his stressed mind’s eye.

  
Atreus had unconsciously began moving quicker, frantically pushing through tree branches and living more in his mind than in the moment at hand.

  
“Father!” The boy called out, again, with a tremble to his voice.

In response, he heard strange rustling from behind him. He turned to see something truly shocking to him.  
A machine, standing almost a head taller than Atreus, moved towards the boy. Attached to the machine’s arm appendages were circular saws, connected by an axle. Two lights in its upper carriage, representative of eyes, glowed red. The appendages creaked to life, and with a whirring-sound, the circular saws began to spin.

The machine continued towards Atreus. He scampered back to what he felt was a safe distance. But the machine lunged toward him, closing the distance more quickly than he’d expected. Before he could plan his next move, Atreus saw the tip of a blade exit the front of the machine, following a loud impact. The red lights in the machine’s head went dim, then dark, and the saws ceased spinning. As the blade slowly withdrew, the sound of metal scraping metal reverberating through the machine’s hollow body filled the air.

The machine fell off of the blade, hitting the ground with a crash. Behind the lifeless machine stood a tall, white-haired young woman. She was clad all in black material, covering her arms and right leg. She held in her left hand a long, thin bladed sword, that she placed on her shoulder as Atreus stared. The machine sprung back into animation, only to self-destruct. The unexpected explosion made Atreus jump back. The white-haired woman wasn’t fazed. She looked on him with cool blue eyes. She took a step toward the boy and spoke.

  
“So, you’re awake, huh?”


	4. Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starts with the follow-up of Atreus meeting A2. Later, Kratos is introduced to the Nier universe. There's a disturbance in the Abandoned City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This narrative follows the Bad (Sad) ending to the "Farewell"concert script. I'll be inserting one (1) hc into that story, which I will mention. I didn't forget about 9S. (hint: I didn't forget about Pod 153 either.) He will be a character later. Let me know what you think.

The woman stepped closer to Atreus and extended a hand to help him to his feet.

  
“Who are you?” Atreus asked curiously. Looking up at the woman’s hand, he noticed that she wasn’t wearing gloves. Her skin was peeled back almost to the shoulder, revealing black material underneath. She had similar wear across her body. “What are you?!” He chirped, pushing himself back.

  
“Now that’s rude! You act like you’ve never seen a poorly maintained android before.” She commented, retracting her hand. She released her sword only to have it reappear, floating behind her.

  
“An…driod?”

  
The pair traded a confused stare before the woman spoke.

  
“Are your memory cores malfunctioning? What were you doing out here?”

  
“Ma’am, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Atreus responded, picking himself up from the ground.

  
The woman squinted at him and spoke. “I heard you yell ‘father’ before you were attacked… Where are you from?”

  
Atreus was wary of the woman, but she had saved him from the machine. She looked on him with an incredulous stare, but her body language didn’t seem threatening. She stood some feet away from Atreus, her arms crossed.

  
“Midgard. Why do you ask?”

  
“Because androids don’t have fathers.” The woman responded.

  
“What the hell is an android?!” Atreus asked quickly.

  
From behind the woman, out of sight, a machine-like voice spoke out.

  
“Androids are robots with appearances and personalities based on humankind.” As it spoke, a small robot floated up above the woman’s shoulder. Atreus appeared shocked by the information as his eyes returned to the woman.

  
“Shut it, pod. You really don’t know, do you?” She asked, looking down at the boy curiously.

  
“All I know is, I woke up in this world after being separated from my father, and I need to find him.”

  
“’This world’? What makes you sure this ‘Midgard’ is a different world?” She asked evenly.

  
“Huh…Nothing, I guess.” Atreus answered. Her continued interest somewhat relaxed his guard.

  
“Available memory databases show no records referencing ‘Midgard’.” Commented the pod.

  
“There’s that.” Said Atreus.

  
“Pod 042. I said shut it.” The woman commanded. “Where were you and your father when you were separated?” She asked, turning her attention back to Atreus.

  
“…It’s hard to explain.” Atreus looked down as he spoke.

 

He looked back up when he heard footsteps and saw the white-haired woman walking away from him.

  
“Come on.” She ordered. “I can’t leave you out here confused about everything, convinced you’ve traveled to another world.” She mocked. He hesitated but began to follow her.

  
“So, what’s your name?” The woman glanced back and asked.

  
“Atreus. What’s yours?”

  
“…A2.”

  
“…A2.” Atreus repeated. “Thank you for saving me, ma’am.”

  
“Please make that the last mention of it.” A2 responded, returning her gaze to the woods in front of her.

  
“But, if you’re the one who took me to that camp, you’ve saved me twice now!”

  
“What did I just say?” A2 retorted.

  
The pair walked for a short time without talking. They made their way to the stream where Atreus had seen the boar and followed it as he had. Atreus felt it best not to initiate conversation with A2, instead choosing to take in the scenery of these unfamiliar woods. The trees were like Midgard’s, tall and coniferous. Only these trees dwarfed Midgard’s, even those that were rumored to have stood for thousands of winters. He noticed the grass grew densely, along with many other large plants. The air itself felt dense with moisture against his skin. While he processed these new surroundings, he looked ahead and saw the small tent, the firepit, and the hide blankets he’d woken up on. The camp seemed so small to him this time.

  
A2 approached the camp and looked back at Atreus, whom stopped at her glance.

  
“Have a seat. Relax. We obviously have some things to talk about.” She said as she sat down in front of the tent.

  
“Are you a Goddess?” Atreus asked quickly, still standing. A2 looked at the boy, surprised. Her expression quickly dissolved into amusement, as she laughed at the comparison.

  
“You know, when I found you, I noticed you were a lot lighter than most scanner models. I assumed you were a non-combat model, separated from a routine patrol. But you tell me you don’t even know what an android is.”

  
“Ma’am, I’ve never heard that word before in my life.” Atreus commented, sitting down on the hide blanket.

  
“Stop calling me ma’am. And what? Your world is filled with Gods and Goddesses, then?” A2 responded.

  
“Well, not exclusively… It’s hard to explain.” Atreus said. “We should start a fire. Won’t it be dark soon?”

  
His question drew more laughs from the android.

  
“You really aren’t from around here, are you?” She commented. “Pod. Light the campfire.”

  
The floating robot dipped down to the campfire. A small thermal lance quickly lit the uncharred twigs and leaves. The low burning fire produced more smoke than flames.

  
“So... you’re an android?” Atreus asked, seeking reaffirmation.

  
Pod 042: “Unit A2 is a YoRHa android: prototype model Number 2, Type A.”

  
“Are there more androids like you on earth?”

  
“There are more androids around now than anyone alive can remember. But there are few like me.”

  
“What do you mean?” Atreus asked.

  
Pod 042: “YoRHa are special combat androids, developed to conduct high-risk operations in order to defeat machine lifeforms and make the surface viable for future descent missions.”

  
“Descent missions?”

  
Pod 042: “Androids are primarily concentrated on twelve orbital bases. A descent mission sends a generation of capable androids to maintain surface facilities and rebuild infrastructure. Orbital bases have limited resources. Deciding to send a large group of androids to the surface is a complex endeavor and requires confidence in their survivability. YoRHa units are designed to ensure this survivability.” A2 seemed to enjoy the eschewed burden of exposition.

  
“You could say they finally succeeded when command announced the last descent mission, the largest one in hundreds of years.” She added.

  
“And why aren’t there many YoRHa left?”

  
“…It’s complicated. The simple answer is no one expected us to survive, but here we are.” A2 responded, leaning back on her palms.

  
“Is that why you’re out here by yourself?” A2 didn’t respond to the question. After a brief silence, Atreus spoke again.

  
“So, androids come from above the earth?”

  
“Yes, from space. All living androids were constructed on an orbital base.”

  
“What’s it like?” The boy asked.

  
“Space? It’s quiet, and very still. It felt a lot how I imagine being nowhere would feel.”

  
“…”

  
“But, when I was with my unit, at least it didn’t feel empty.” She said, shifting her position to lie down, propping her head up with her hand.

  
“If you guys succeeded, why are there still hostile machines around, like the one that attacked me?” Atreus asked, picking up a small stone and flicking it into the fire.

  
“YoRHa didn’t succeed because they destroyed all machine lifeforms. They succeeded in removing the network that linked machines for communication and coordination. What’s left are machines acting individually. That one just wanted you dead, I guess.”

  
“Huh. I thought you were with YoRHa. Why do you refer to them as ‘they’?”

  
“I was just a prototype…I had already long outlived my purpose by the time YoRHa succeeded.” A2 responded evenly. “Anyway, tell me about your father. I should at least know what he looks like.”

  
“You’re going to help me?” The boy asked, perking up.

  
“Does it seem like I have a lot going on?” A2 responded. Glancing up as she did, she took notice of something peculiar.

  
“Is it snowing?”

 

***************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

Kratos awoke to the sound of an explosion followed by more impacts. He stood, finding himself alone in a building that appeared to be abandoned. Some feet away from him was a large hole to the outside, presumably where he’d crashed through. He reached back to feel that the Leviathan ax was no longer on his back, understandably, given he’d payed it no mind while in the void. Another explosion rocked the building, indicating it was closer than the first.

  
Kratos approached the exit hole and peered down at a 30-foot drop overlooking a city street. Along the street was a sizeable crowd of assorted machines, their origin and intentions unknown to Kratos. While he had no idea what these things were or why they crowded, he noticed some of them seemed aware of his presence.

  
A smaller crowd of machines moved towards him, attempting to stack themselves in order to reach Kratos’ position.

  
“What horror is this?” He thought out loud. Another explosion rocked the scene, sending the robot stack tumbling back onto the street. They immediately moved to restart their work.

  
Kratos backed away from the hole in the wall, allowing the first small robots to climb up to his level. Looking down at his forearms, he saw the chain-pattern scars of his bare skin and realized even the chains that held the Blades of Chaos to him had become undone within the void. He was unarmed.

  
This didn’t prevent a single punch from sending five little robots flying out of the broken building and onto the street, to disastrous effect. As they impacted the ground they exploded, alerting more and larger machines to Kratos’ position. At the same time, five more little robots climbed onto the floor Kratos stood on. The situation was souring quickly.

  
The God fought back the persistent little robots and leaped over the edge, landing with a loud thud. Greeting him were three rather large machines with rotund bodies and large pincer-like arms. Smaller machines held swords, axes, and maces. The crowd began to descend on the Spartan.

  
Kratos engaged the crowd with great power, punching and throwing the smaller robots with ease. He took two axes from the small machines and used them to deal damage to the larger ones. His strategy proved effective, but more enemies joined as they became alerted to Kratos’ presence. After several minutes of combat, Kratos’ Spartan Rage had built up within him. He unleashed the excess power and trained it on his largest adversaries. He came upon a massive machine with reverse jointed legs, like a bird’s, and artillery fitted to its sides. Kratos launched the two axes at the goliath and leaped forward, landing a punch to its body. The large machine was sent flying into a building, collapsing the structure to rubble. Kratos’ Spartan Rage subsided, but machines continued to crowd him.

  
Suddenly, a shockwave impacted the crowd and the machines' attention was split. A new presence engaged the robots out of Kratos’ sight. The sound of metal slicing metal rang out feet from him. At first, a blur of black and white between the bodies of the machines was all he could gather while continuing to fight, but when the figure leaped into the air he caught his first clear glimpse.

Holding two blades of different sizes, wearing a black dress, ornate white and black gloves, and tall black boots was a female figure. She wore short white hair in a headband. A black blindfold covered her eyes. The woman appeared resolutely calm as she engaged the hoard. Her leap landed on the back of a large machine. She drove her swords into its back and wrenched them outwards, producing an immediate explosion. She jumped from the machines back, holding the two blades out, spinning and twisting into a landing. Her swords drew a destructive pattern into the crowd, destroying several more machines.

  
Two machines flew by the woman, hitting a wall and exploding. Kratos sprinted into another pincer-armed machine, lifting and dropping it on its back. He repeatedly struck it's abdomen with his fists until it appeared ready to explode. Soon, they had dispatched the crowd.

The pair stood feet away from one another, maintaining a mutual gaze. Tension grew until Kratos spoke.

  
“You have my thanks.” He said.

  
The woman didn’t respond. She released her swords and they reappeared floating behind her back.

  
“Why did you intervene?” He asked after a brief silence.

  
“Who are you?” The woman asked, disregarding his question, again.

  
“…”

  
“I’ve never seen an android model with capabilities like what you just displayed. Who are you?” The woman persisted through Kratos’ silence.

  
“What do you know about this snow?” She asked.

  
Machines had accosted Kratos so quickly that he just now looked around and realized it was snowing, hard.

  
“Nothing.” He responded. It was true. He had no knowledge of this world at all.

  
“Why are you here?” She asked.

  
“I woke up here. I do not recognize this place.”

  
“Hm.” She took a moment to check their surroundings. “We should move off of the street. More machines will be around eventually.” She said.

  
“Why are you helping me?” Kratos asked incredulously.

  
“…I’m not sure. I came here to investigate why the machines have been gathering here irregularly. Reports coincide with the first reports of snow in this area. Your presence, your power, don't seem disconnected.” The woman responded as she walked toward the nearest building.

  
“So, is snow irregular in this area?” Kratos asked as he followed her.

  
“Snow in the same place for a week is irregular anywhere. Also, yes. The average temperature of the region is too high for regular snowfall.”

  
“Hm.”

  
“What?” The woman asked as she walked up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Her heeled footwear clicked against the stone steps.

  
“I may have an idea of what could be causing the disturbance.” Kratos stated as he continued following her to the third floor.

  
“Please don’t tell me it’s you.” She responded, glancing back at Kratos.

  
“No. My ax.”

  
“Your ax?”

  
“It’s a powerful weapon imbued with ice magic, crafted for a great warrior.”

  
“You’re very humble.” The woman taunted evenly.

  
“It wasn’t crafted for me. But without someone…sufficiently powerful wielding it, the magic could flow out uncontrollably.”

  
“So, this ax is what’s drawing the machines here…” She commented quietly, looking down.

  
“I wouldn’t know. But snow like you describe sounds like uncontrolled magic from the ax.” Kratos commented. He looked around the empty room, then back at the white-haired woman. “What is your name?”

  
“…2B.” She responded after a pause, looking up at the Spartan.

  
“I am Kratos.” He walked to an empty window pane and looked out at the abandoned city. “In your investigation, did you find where these machines were gathering?”

  
“I have an idea, but there were too many for me to get a close look.”

  
“If these machines gather around the Leviathan ax, then all I need is to get close.”

  
Their conversation was interrupted by resumed explosions close by. The building shook from the force of the blast as subsequent impacts could be heard farther away.

  
“What’s going on?” Kratos asked 2B, alarmed.

  
“It’s the Android Armed Forces, shelling the city. They’re worried the machines are gathering to mobilize a network again.”

  
“Mm...” The tone of Kratos’ response gave away his ignorance on the topic.

  
Before he could ask any follow up questions, they heard footsteps on the street below.

  
“Sweep the area for hostiles and call out when you’re clear!” A commanding voice shouted. The sounds of running footsteps followed.

  
“Clear!” Shouted a voice far down the block. Others sounded off from varying distances.

  
“Hostile machines!” A voice shouted from a block over. Sounds of fighting broke out.

  
“Get a medical evac for him right away! Soldiers. Form up and take down those hostiles!” The strong voice commanded over the booms from continued shelling in the distance.

  
“Flyers inbound!” A voice shouted from a block over. The sounds of fighting intensified, as small arms fire and metal clashes filled the air.

  
Kratos knew better than to interfere in a war. He had no idea where he was, or what either side of the conflict stood for. Even with that principle, for some reason, he felt compelled to help the group. But at his first movement, 2B placed a hand on his shoulder.

  
“Don’t. If it’s really your ax drawing the machines here, the only way to end this is getting it back.” She looked out at the conflict. “Follow me. We need to get to the center.”

  
“Mm.” Kratos grunted his affirmation and followed her.

  
The pair descended the other side of the building they were in and made their way to 2B’s destination. As they continued moving, the snow seemed to grow heavier. A thick coat covered the streets. 2B and Kratos moved carefully, trying not to alert any machine lifeforms in the area to their intrusion.

  
Closer to their destination, the winds and snow reached a brutal intensity. More machines gathered in crowds as large as the one that originally attacked Kratos. But they didn’t seem to notice 2B and Kratos anymore, as they all moved in the same direction.

  
“They seem to be headed toward that light.” The god commented as he continued to follow 2B through the increasingly treacherous snow storm. In the distance, a bright blue orb gleamed in the otherwise cloud-darkened sky.

  
The pair walked toward the light as well. Explosive shells continued to fall close by, crushing machines with shockwave blasts. The columns of machines remained unconcerned with the assault. As they got close to the light, the snow stopped. Inside this perimeter was eerily quiet compared to the howling winds of the storm outside. Continuing to walk forward, the pair finally saw the light's origin.

  
The blue beacon emanated from a crater, approximately 50 feet in diameter and several feet deep. The indent and the surrounding area were filled with hundreds of machines, teeming around what Kratos could recognize as the Leviathan ax. As machine lifeforms touched the ax, they became frozen solid. But that didn’t stop more machines from pushing through to grasp it. Sounds of metal crunching emanated from the crater’s center. While they spectated this, a single shell dropped into the crater and annihilated the crowd surrounding the ax. All of the machines in the surrounding area instantly flooded in to replace them.

  
“What is happening here?” Kratos asked, taken aback by the senseless machine carnage.

  
“A feedback-loop. Get your ax.” 2B responded coldly.

  
Kratos walked to the edge of the crater. The machines continued to ignore him. He held his hand out toward the ax, preparing to call it to him, but he was interrupted.

  
“You, there! Stop!” The familiar voice commanded.

  
He turned to see a tan woman in sturdy-looking combat gear, over which she wore a green hooded cape. A rifle could be seen poking over her shoulder, and on her waist, she held a sabre. She was accompanied by five female guards, who wore similar combat gear that covered their faces. Each guard pointed a thin-bladed sword at Kratos.

  
“Who are you?!” She asked. Kratos didn’t respond. “What do you know about this snow?” She added.

  
“Nothing.” He responded.

  
“I don’t believe you! What are you doing there? Who are you?!” The guards spread out in front of the woman in a combat formation.

  
“I don’t wish to fight you.” Kratos responded, avoiding the questions.

  
“That’s not your choice!” The woman shouted back. “You’re a machine, aren’t you?!”

  
Kratos didn’t understand the accusation or its implications. The woman’s guards charged at him. He reached out for the Leviathan. This time it returned to his hands, and all of the machine’s attention followed with it. He blocked a strike from a guard’s longsword and kicked her away from him.

  
Seeing the massive hoard of machines bearing down on them, the group leader clicked on her communication device.

  
“This is Anemone, Group 1 commanding officer. I need close artillery support. Lock in the crater as your target. Repeat. Close artillery support focused on that crater, ASAP!”

  
Kratos had already turned his attention to the machine hoard, releasing blasts of ice energy at the crowd to stave off their advance. Two guards charged at him, but 2B jumped into the fight and blocked the blows, sending them skidding back. Two more guards charged at her. A quick parry closed the distance between her and the first guard, whose calf she severed, neatly. She followed up by kicking the wound, bringing the guard to the ground with a scream. She dodged the second opponent's attack, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the ground. The three remaining guards all attacked her at once. She parried a strike with each blade and released her left sword in order to grab the third attacker’s wrist. Spinning her opponent to the ground by the wrist, she continued to twist until it snapped. She swung her leg around another guard’s leg and tripped her. Turning her attention to the guard still standing, she pointed her blade and charged. Once the guard changed stances to defend the strike, 2B released the sword and spun into a kick, disarming the guard. She pulled her in to serve as a shield from the rifle that was now trained on her by Anemone.

The guard she tripped stood up and returned to Anemone’s side for defense, while the other three were proven incapacitated. Anemone lowered her rifle, and 2B promptly released the hostage back to her.

  
Artillery shells fell on the hoard of machines, dangerously close to Kratos and the androids. The explosive shockwaves forced all of them to the ground. Only a small group of machines endured the blasts. The remaining hostile machines stood no chance against Kratos and the ax. Anemone’s group was stalemated by 2B’s presence. Three of her five guards were unable to fight, and four only lived because 2B chose it. Kratos destroyed the last machine and turned his attention to the androids.

  
“2…B. I thought you were dead! What happened to you?” Anemone asked, visibly shocked. “Who is this?!” She asked, looking at Kratos.

  
“If you send anyone after us, I will kill them.” 2B responded sternly.

  
“That’s—” Anemone was cut off by 2B quickly closing the distance between them, disregarding the guards who returned to her side. 2B’s blade was stopped by Anemone’s sabre, which she pulled half-way out of its sheath in time to block the blow. 2B jumped back and released her blade. She turned to walk away from the disheveled group of androids. Kratos followed.

 

 "2B!" Anemone called out, as she watched her leave the area.

 

 

After some time walking, it was apparent Anemone hadn't sent anyone in pursuit. The sky was clear blue, now. The only memories of the ax’ effect were the dunes of snow, that built over a week’s time.

  
2B walked with purpose, taking long strides away from the snowy wasteland. Beyond the hills of snow, in the distance, the two could see a green treeline.

  
“That woman, was she a friend of yours?” Kratos asked.

  
“Did it look like it?” The android responded.

  
“It seemed that she knew you, yes.” Kratos commented.

  
“She knows me. She’s not my friend.”

  
“Understood.” Kratos responded.

  
After a brief pause, 2B spoke.

  
“What are you going to do now that you have your ax back?”

  
“…I’m looking for somebody.” He responded.

  
“You told me you just woke up here. Who could you be looking for?”

  
“…I’m looking for my son.” Kratos answered after a long pause.

  
“When were you separated?” 2B inquired, glancing back at him.

  
“Before I arrived in this place.”

  
“Then how can you be sure he’s here, too?” 2B asked, ducking under a tree branch.

  
“…I have to be.” He responded quietly, as if only to himself.

  
2B and Kratos walked on a grassy meadow, now. The snow-cased cityscape already seemed like a distant memory, even with the culprit so close by.

  
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” The android said after a long silence.

  
“No. The thought has come to my mind as well.” The ashen axman replied. Twigs snapped under his feet as he walked. “But, in truth, I don't see any other purpose for me, in either case.”

  
“I see…” 2B replied.

  
The pair walked for some time. The sounds of their footsteps filled the gap in the conversation.

  
“You’re going to need help.” 2B spoke again.

  
“Hm?” Kratos responded.

  
“Searching for your son. You’re going to need help.”

  
“Are you offering yours?” He asked.

  
2B stopped walking and turned to look at him.

  
“…Yes… But I need to make a stop first.”


	5. Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A2, Atreus, and Pod 042 look into the snow disturbance. Kratos and 2B make it to her stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter could be shorter and focus primarily on the group unification or it could be longer and include more fluff and narrative. Feel free to let me know what you think.

“So, you and your son were separated before you woke up in the city ruins. What about before that?” 2B asked her travel companion.

  
Kratos and 2B spent over an hour walking, mostly in silence. When they came upon remnants of a stone structure jutting through the surrounding grass, they stopped to rest for a moment. The rubble stood among a wide meadow of tall grass and flowers. Moss and vines had long begun reclaiming what building material remained in sight. Perhaps it used to be an outpost, or maybe just a house. Along with multiple broken structures that appeared to be the remains of old walls, weathered by time, were stones of a certain size and distance from the ground that served 2B and Kratos well as seats.

  
“It’s… hard to explain.” Kratos replied, sitting on a wide, flat stone.

  
“Did you desert your command?” 2B inquired bluntly.

  
“My command?”

  
“You’re a combat model, aren’t you? What, a D-type? I know D-types often develop parental roles over H or S-Type androids…” 2B trailed off as she watched Kratos’ confusion unfold. “What?” She asked.

  
“…I told you. I woke up here. I have no other knowledge of this world.” His response drew an anxious frown from the android.

  
“Then, what did you mean when you said you and your son were separated? Were you separated during the descent from your orbital base?” She asked.

  
“Orbital…?” Kratos began to ask. He decided instead to be forthcoming with the white-haired woman sitting across from him.

  
“Atreus and I… were looking for a new home. A disaster sent us into…nothingness, a void. The void pulled us apart, but, I believe, toward the same destination. When I awoke, I was in the city where we met. Based on the buildings… and those machines, I had guessed we were thrown somewhere far forward in time.” Kratos told the truth about his presumptions, unsure what else could clear the confusion between them. 2B was visibly troubled by his story. There was a pause before she spoke.

  
“…You’re not an android?” 2B asked, her interest piqued.

  
“I don’t know what that is.” He responded.

  
“Are you…human?” Asked the android.

  
“No. My son and I are gods, him a God of Midgard and I Olympus.”

  
“…Gods…?” 2B appeared dumbfounded.

  
“Yes. Though, someone wise said to me, differentiations between mortal and God are often only observations of power.”

  
“Huh…” 2B squirmed in her seat slightly. The information proved difficult to process or believe, but she saw in his face no tension indicating the stress of a lie. His face, rather, appeared weary to the android. While speaking, he seldom looked directly at her, often opting to send drilling gazes into the dirt at his feet. “So, you know what humans are but not androids… Did you know humans?”

  
“Yes. I grew up believing for a time that I was human. Why?”

  
“I might believe your crazy story.” 2B responded after a brief pause.

  
“Hm.” Kratos let go of a short grunt, close to a laugh. “Why would you?” He asked in an incredulous tone.

  
“…The first androids were made by humans a long time ago. If you knew humans as being subordinate to ‘gods’, it follows that you either travelled forward in time or to a different world entirely. Or you’re insane.” She commented with a slight shrug.

  
“Androids are machines, too, then?” Kratos inquired, ignoring the stinger.

  
“Yes, machines built by humans, based on their appearances and personalities. The machines you’ve fought were originally brought here by aliens to invade the Earth.”

  
“Aliens?” Kratos inquired with a squint.

  
“Oh, right. Beings not from Earth.” 2B replied. “Ever since then, androids and machine lifeforms have been waging a never-ending war over the planet.”

  
“Hm…What happened to the humans?”

  
“Humanity…was forced to evacuate when the aliens invaded. A small group is said to have escaped to the moon.”

  
“The moon…?” Kratos commented, astonished. Much of this was very recently beyond his imagining. After a pause, he spoke again.

  
“Why did you confront the Android Forces at the crater?” He asked with directed interest.

  
“To be honest…I needed to see how the machine lifeforms reacted when you retrieved your ax.” She replied, gazing at Kratos through her black cloth blindfold.

  
“Why?” Kratos inquired.

  
There was a brief pause before 2B responded.

  
“I was there hoping that the Android Armed Force’s intelligence was correct, and the machines were gathering to mobilize a network. When I saw them moving in coordination, I thought they had already done it and I started searching for the server they were using. When I found you, we concluded the machines were coordinating around your ax.” 2B placed both palms on the stone under her, shifting her weight as she continued.

  
“Later I saw that the machines weren’t coordinating at all. They were obsessed with that ax, mindlessly marching toward it with no regard for anything else. I had to see how they reacted to the ax returning to its handler.”

  
“And?” Kratos asked.

  
“There was no evidence of anything more than a like-minded hoard. There was no server to collect and hold all of the machines’ similar thoughts in order for them to communicate.” 2B replied, sounding defeated. She held one hand with the other and placed them on her lap.

  
“Why do you want the machines to create a new network?” Kratos asked.

  
“I need something that was saved on the machines’ servers once. It should still be imprinted in the storage areas the network used to use, but I need the network to be active somewhere to access any storage… Do you understand any of this?” 2B paused to ask.

  
“Aliens make sense. All of this about networks and imprinted information I understand about as well as I understand magic.” Kratos responded, shaking his head.

  
“Ha. It’s interesting you say that. The machines’ reactivity to your ax was the closest to network coordination I’ve seen in almost a year...” 2B commented, gazing down at her gloved hands. Her tone deflated from a chuckle to a whisper as she spoke.

  
“Then… perhaps you are closer to your goal than ever.” The god replied as he stood up. He paused before he spoke again. “Do androids eat?”

  
“What?” 2B asked, glancing up from her lap to look at him.

  
“Can androids eat? Does it serve a purpose for you?” Kratos asked again.

  
“Androids aren’t required to eat in order to sustain themselves as humans did, but we do have sensory receptors for taste based on records of humans.” 2B replied.

  
“Good. Let’s go fishing.” Kratos said, already walking toward a stream he had noticed while following 2B. He was standing by the water before he heard the rustling fabric of 2B’s dress and the click of her boot heels.

  
For the first time since they met, 2B followed Kratos. She came upon the man standing in shin-deep water.

  
“What are you going to fish wi—”

  
As 2B asked, Kratos plunged a hand into the stream. He came up with nothing, but his method was clear. This time he remained hunched over, peering into the clear water. 2B watched him as he remained still. Kratos plunged a hand into the water again, this time pulling up a medium sized brown fish by its gills. Holding it up to 2B, he spoke.

  
“I trust you to tell me what is and is not edible here.”

  
“You shouldn’t, but I happen to know that’s a Koi Carp. They’re fine for eating as long as the meat is cooked.” 2B replied.

  
“Good. Catch another while I gut this one.” Kratos said, walking out of the stream and toward the stones they sat on previously.

  
2B stepped into the stream and attempted to replicate Kratos’ technique. It wasn’t long before her stillness lulled the fish into a sense of security. She drove a hand under the water and pulled out another Koi Carp. She walked to the stones, where Kratos had left the first fish degutted, and gutted her own. He stood a few yards away, chopping twigs and leaves away from a large bush for kindling.

  
2B and Kratos set up a small fire and cooked the fish on twig skewers. Almost an hour after they began fishing, they had cooked meat.

  
“Why take the time to do this? I doubt gods need to eat to sustain themselves either.” 2B asked before taking a bite.

  
“No. But, when one spends a majority of their time pursuing a goal that seems far off, it’s good to take on tasks that can be accomplished quickly, so that one doesn’t risk forgetting what achievement feels like all together.”

  
“n…” She paused, caught off-guard. “Thank you… We should get moving soon.”

 ***********************************************************************************************************************************

“Where are we going, again?” Atreus asked the long-haired android as they walked along a beaten path.

  
“ **I** …am going to gather information on why it was snowing on a warm day and whether anyone reported seeing your father. **You** are going to stay out of sight and out of the way, so I don’t have to worry about a hostage situation.”

  
Pod 042: “Android Armed Forces relay outpost ahead. Sixteen personnel detected on campus.”

  
“Perfect.” A2 responded.

  
“I can fight.” The boy declared. A2 looked down at him.

  
“For now, that remains to be seen. And it’s going to stay that way. This isn’t about knowing how to fight. It’s about not being spotted.” She scolded.

  
“Ok.” Atreus acquiesced.

  
“If I get in trouble, Pod 042 can cover me. Don’t worry.” A2 said with a grin.

  
They walked to the crest of a steep hill. Below, they could see the outpost. Seven solid white buildings were stretched along the main path. At the far end of the facility was a single building larger than the others. This would be where the communications server, A2’s target, was housed. There were two tall guard towers on either side of the facility to keep watch over the perimeter.

  
“Pod. Get me a position on each android in the facility. I don’t need any surprises today.”

  
Pod 042: “Confirmed. Targets marked. NFCS and FSCS interface updated.”

  
“Atreus. Wait here until I or Pod 042 come to get you. Otherwise, stay out of sight. Understood?” A2 placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke sternly.

  
“Understood.” Atreus replied, dejected. He averted his gaze from the woman.

  
Pod 042: “Outpost surveillance feed connection established. Falsifying images… Surveillance feed loops established.”

  
“Good work, pod.” The android responded.

  
A2 waited until the nearest guard tower patrol became busy before making her way down the hill into the facility. With a dash she proved herself invisible, reappearing close to one of the white buildings. Pod 042 followed behind as inconspicuously as possible. Atreus kept sight of them as long as he could without compromising his position.

  
A2 worked slowly, anticipating the guards’ movements. When she heard footsteps up ahead, she quickly hid between tall storage tanks lining the back of the building. A male guard walked by, clueless concerning A2’s presence. She moved onward to the next building, trying to hug tight to the walls in order to minimize her broad-daylight disruption. Detection was harder to avoid from there. The target building had five sentries watching the front entrance and guards posted every couple of yards leading up to it. Any mistake in infiltrating the building would spark a fight.

  
A2 was able to continue moving until she came upon a group of four androids holding a conversation.

  
“I really wish I could hack from here.” A2 lamented that she wasn’t able to engage the hacking interface over distance like high-end scanner models. She had developed formidable hacking skills but couldn’t deny her design type.

  
Instead, she waited for another guard to approach her position and made the physical contact necessary to initiate a hacking sequence. Her alteration was initially subtle, and she quickly dashed out of sight, leaving the android unaware that anything had happened at all. But, when they continued walking in the direction of the four-person group, they began to clutch their forehead. The symptoms quickly escalated to full-body muscle failure. The android tumbled to the floor, shaking, attracting the attention of all surrounding guards. A2 was able to take advantage of this window by moving directly to the communications building. Five guards still patrolled the front entrance.

  
A2 opted for the back entrance instead, opening the auxiliary door with a code she swiped while hacking the android’s memory space as well as their muscular functions.

She made her way down the hallways, keeping an eye out for occupants. The halls proved themselves empty, but the communication server room bustled with at least three voices A2 could hear through the door.

  
“Pod.” A2 whispered.

  
Pod 042: “Understood. Charging.”

  
The pod began charging its light panels as if preparing for a laser attack. But when A2 input the code and the door opened, Pod 042 unleashed a diffuse blast of blinding light into the room. A2 used the disruption to knock out two occupants and hack the third. Her and Pod 042 were now free to interface with the communication server.

  
“Pod. Download the last two weeks of AAF correspondence and travel logs. Gain clearance for all classified documents you can and rip them, too.” A2 commanded.

  
Pod 042: “Understood. Commencing data download.”

  
It wouldn’t be long before the communication server received correspondence that demanded a response. Once that happened, they would have little time before alarms started to go off. The pod interfaced with one of the many blinking terminals inside the communications room. A2 stepped outside to keep watch from the hallway.

  
Pod 042: “Data upload complete. 3 of 6 files declassified. 3 remain inaccessible.”

  
“Well, that’s to be expected. Come on Pod. We have what we need.”

  
Pod 042: “Understood.”

  
The pod floated down the halls in advance of A2, checking for hostiles who may have found their way inside during the data rip. A2 and Pod 042 were able to leave the communications building undetected. They retraced their route into the camp to arrive back at the hill where Atreus waited.

  
“Atreus.” A2 called out to the boy. “Come on. Mission successful. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  
“That was fast!”

  
“I told you not to worry.” A2 replied. “Let’s find a safe place to analyze this data.”

  
Pod 042: “Accounting for recently acquired data, I’ve found six suitable destinations outside of AAF patrol routes.”

  
“Show off. Map the closest, indoors.” A2 ordered.

  
Pod 042: “Understood.”

  
Pod 042 led them to an old bunker left over from a previous generation. Half of its wall had caved in, leaving a sizeable hole to the outdoors. Still, the spot offered them seclusion. A2 and Atreus sat together on a long stone bench carved into the wall.

  
“Pod. Analyze data. I want anything regarding the snow storm we saw and any unusual encounter reports.”

  
Pod 042: “Affirmative. Searching…”

  
“So, you’re kind of a criminal?” The boy asked, drawing A2’s attention from the pod.

  
“Does that bother you?”

  
“Not really. Father and I never really got along with authority either.” Atreus responded, kicking a lose stone across the bunker floor.

  
“Yea?” A2 inquired. “You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.” She added, gazing down at the boy next to her.

  
Pod 042: “Analysis: Localized snow disturbance began eight days ago. Android Armed Forces mobilized to respond to later reports of machines gathering in the area.”

  
“Huh. So, this was kind of a big deal.” A2 responded.

  
Pod 042: “Affirmative. Android Armed Forces reported heavy casualties at the hands of machine lifeforms. This ends declassified reports relevant to inquiry.”

  
“Anything relevant in the classified files?” Asked A2.

  
Pod 042: “Analyzing... Analysis: Two classified documents related to the disturbance found, titled ‘Command Group 1 Field Report’ and ‘Anemone: Incident Report’. Alert: Cross reference to unusual encounters found in file titled ‘Anemone: Incident Report’.”

  
“Display them.” A2 ordered.

  
The pod floated down to eye level so A2 could read the document it displayed.

  
It read:

  
“Command Group 1 Field Report.

  
This is Group 1 Commander, Anemone, reporting from the City Ruins, four days after arrival. Machine presence is high. Block to block fighting has slowed our advance and forced us to set up temporary camp outside of the city. Reconnaissance missions have returned little usable information. The failure rate of such missions has proven future operations too high-risk to carry out with current personnel. The reason behind the inclement weather and machine disturbance remain unclear. We await the arrival of AAF artillery group 5.”

  
Pod 042: “Report archived four days ago. Unit A2, would you like to view file ‘Anemone: Incident Report’?”

  
“Display it.”

  
Pod 042 retracted the previous report and projected another file, this time a video. A2 was met with the familiar face of the former Resistance leader. Atreus scooted closer to watch, too.

  
The android sat indoors, in what looked to be a very cluttered office space. She wore an AAF uniform. Over that she wore her usual hooded cape.

  
“This is Group 1 Commander, Anemone…reporting one day after the end of the machine disturbance in the City Ruins.” She began. She gazed down for a moment, perhaps at notes, before continuing.

  
“Fire-support from Artillery Group 5 cleared an advance into the city interior. Ground forces were able to establish footholds in the city and reports of conflict with machines went down.” Anemone spoke evenly, her face devoid of discernible emotion. “Upon further advance, the machines stopped confronting ground forces. Artillery continued to secure our path, in case that condition abruptly ceased. In order to limit friendly-fire casualties, I pulled my forces back to a perimeter and continued toward the center of the disturbance myself, along with a dispatch of five combat androids…” She trailed off.

  
A2 and Atreus traded glances during the pause.

  
“My group arrived at the crater to see a male figure standing at its edge. When confronted, the man claimed to know nothing about the disturbance… That was proven false when he pulled from the center of the crater, an ax that conducted the machines’ attention. Preliminary analysis determined he could be a machine lifeform similar to Adam and Eve...but.” She trailed off again. She was visibly exhausted.

  
“Physical characteristics: about six feet, five inches tall, white skin, a bearded face, and red markings on his face and shoulder. His attire was not attributable to any known faction, upon analysis.”

  
“That’s him! That’s my dad! It has to be!”

  
“Seems like. A mountain with red tattoos and a beard, just like you said.” A2 responded.

  
“That is **not** what I said.” Atreus replied. The video continued as they spoke.

  
“Big, angry, beard and tattoos. That’s what you gave me—wait. Pod. Go back five seconds.”

  
Pod 042: “Affirmative.” The video playback instantly skipped back to before they stopped listening.

  
“faction, upon analysis.” Anemone’s recording repeated. “When combat guards moved to subdue him, they were confronted by…” Anemone paused. “by a unit previously assumed KIA over a year ago, YoRHa unit Number 2, Type B… We have no information regarding 2B’s role in the disturbance, but she incapacitated my guards and allowed the man to escape with the ax. She must be considered dangerous. Inclement weather cleared shortly after they departed together. I was unable to send units in pursuit…” She paused again, longer this time. “Group 1 Commander, Anemone, signing off.” She reached toward the screen before the video cut out.

  
“…2B.”

  
“You know them?” Atreus asked the android.

  
“She’s an ex-YoRHa android, like me.”

  
“Do you think she and my dad are still travelling together?”

  
“I wouldn’t know.” A2 responded with a shrug.

  
“Is there any way you can contact her?” Atreus asked.

  
Pod 042: “Unit 2B’s location is currently unknown.”

  
“What about Pod 153?” A2 asked.

  
Pod 042: “Processing… All relevant units accounted for. Pod 153 location found.”

  
“Can you mark it?” She requested.

  
Pod 042: “Negative. Pod 153 has received orders from YoRHa unit 2B to defend location. Leaking of location would be to the detriment of Pod 153’s current objective.”

  
“Even to me?” A2 asked, sounding slightly hurt.

  
Pod 042: “Unit Atreus presents an unacceptable risk to Pod 153’s current objective.”

  
“Me? What am I going to do?” Atreus asked.

  
Pod 042: “Present an unacceptable risk to Pod 153’s current objective.”

  
“It doesn’t matter.” A2 interjected. “Pod. Can you send Pod 153 a message for 2B?”

  
Pod 042: “Affirmative.”

 

 ***********************************************************************************************************************************

 

“Kratos.”

  
His name snapped him out of a long-uninterrupted thought. 2B and Kratos now travelled through a heavily wooded area. Tall trees grew densely. Branches and leaves formed a canopy overhead. Thick, braided ivies hung down around them. Large bushes and fungi grew freely between tree trunks. Kratos glanced down at his travelling companion, whom met his gaze.

  
“I need you to wait here for a moment.” 2B said.

  
“Mm.” He agreed, as he stopped following.

  
She continued walking until she stood some twenty yards ahead of Kratos, at which point three small black and red robots emerged, floating from the bushes and approached her. Before Kratos could reach back for his ax, he noticed the bots didn’t attack her. They hovered around her, and she spoke with them. She pointed towards him before walking back to his position with a floating robot in tow.

  
“Come on. It’s safe now.” 2B said.

  
“What is that?” Kratos asked about the red and black robot.

  
“This? A pod, a tactical support unit for androids.” She replied as they began walking together again.

  
2B pushed vines aside as they seemed to travel directly into a heap of vegetation. Instead, she pulled the vines away to reveal a door to a building rendered practically invisible by the surrounding brush. The door looked as if it had been steadily maintained as the exception to the rest of the area. A touch of 2B’s hand triggered it to open. Inside was a mundane sight to behold. The walls were grey. The floor was also grey except for areas where enough dirt and dust had accumulated for vegetation to take root. Greeting 2B on the other side of the door was another red and black pod. It hovered at 2B’s eye level, its red light blinking.

  
Pod 153: “Welcome back, YoRHa unit 2B. Black box signal is normal. No change in condition to report.” The pod chimed before floating around her to confront Kratos.

Pod 153: “Proposal: Unit should state his intentions.”

  
Kratos didn’t respond to the pod.

  
Pod 153: “Proposal: Unit should state his intentions.” It repeated.

  
The god looked to 2B in hopes of assistance.

  
“I told Pod 153 that you were travelling with me and that you weren’t a threat to their objective, but they’re programmed to ask you that until you respond.” 2B commented, amused.

  
“My intentions…I intend to follow you until we find Atreus.” Kratos responded.

  
“Don’t tell me.” She replied, further amused by his wasted effort.

  
“I intend to follow her.” He turned to the pod and stated.

  
Pod 153: “Affirmative. This pod will return this unit to unit 2B, if separated.”

  
“Hn…” The android quickly stifled a laugh.

  
Kratos looked around, watching the pods dart about the interior of the building.

  
“What are all of these pods doing here?”

  
“Well, really, there’s only one pod here. All of these units share one consciousness. I directed Pod 153 to defend this area from intruders.”

  
“Why do you have them defending this place?” Kratos asked, looking around at the dingey safehouse interior.

  
“…Pod 153 is watching after something very special to me.” 2B replied quietly.

  
“And what is that?”

  
She stood before him, visibly pensive.

  
After a moment, she walked around a corner into another room and out of Kratos’ sight.

  
When he followed behind her, he saw what she had been referring to. Kneeling on the cleanest bit of floor was a white-haired boy. He wore an embroidered black jacket and black shorts. The boy’s face and clothing were pristinely clean. His eyes were closed, and his expression was peaceful. He looked as though he was asleep or meditating. His hands were placed neatly on his lap, palms down. Over them a black cloth was placed.

  
Out of his peripheral vision, Kratos saw 2B reach her hands behind her head. He turned to see her untie and remove the black cloth she wore over her eyes.

  
2B took a step towards the boy and bent down on one knee. She reached out and placed a gloved hand on his forehead, similar to how a parent or an older sibling might check for a fever. She pushed her hand upwards through the boy’s bangs, lightly passing fingers through his hair before she retracted her touch. She remained there for some time before Kratos spoke.

  
“Who is this?” He asked in a low tone.

  
“This…is 9S.” 2B replied.

  
Kratos turned his attention from the kneeling boy to the woman, as she stood up. She turned her gaze on him. Her eyes, wide disks of grey-blue, stunned him at first glance.

  
“He was my partner…during the last machine war.” She said.

  
“How long has he been like this?”

  
Pod 153: “It has been 396 days since failed personal data repair.” One of the pods in the room chirped.

  
“Personal data?” Kratos inquired.

  
“Personal data is like a soul for an android. It’s the collection of the artificial intelligence programs and memory files that make up an android’s personality.” 2B responded.

  
“How did he lose it?”

  
“During the machine war, the machines’ network used logic viruses to infect enemy androids. Logic viruses overload an android’s memory space and destroy their personal data. When YoRHa, our unit, was targeted by a virus attack, both 9S and I, along with most of our comrades, were infected.” Kratos watched emotions flash across her eyes unchecked as she spoke.

  
“How did you manage to retain your personal data?” He asked.

  
“The pods.” 2B replied, looking around at the bustling crew of floating robots. “When the YoRHa command bunker was destroyed, all of the remaining YoRHa data backups only existed on their network. By nature of their directive, they were meant to destroy all remaining personal data.”

  
“Why didn’t they?”

  
“Most of them did. Pods 153 and 042 were originally assigned as support units for 9S and I. When met with the directive to delete our personal data, they decided, together, that they would salvage it instead.” 2B replied. With her arms crossed, she made accompanying gestures with her hands.

  
“These pods are conscious?” Kratos inquired.

  
Pod 153: “Statement: Not by design. Conjecture: By regularly communicating with Pod 042, we shared our thoughts regarding the events of 9S and 2B’s missions. These thoughts eventually became more complex. They became less beholden to our original directive. Abstract thoughts became simple emotions and they applied most principally to the units we worked with.”

  
“Hm. Interesting.” The Spartan replied. “Why wasn’t his data recovered?” He asked.

  
Pod 153: “YoRHa unit 9S’ personal data was destroyed by the logic virus. His original personal data profile was lost with the bunker, and no personal data compatible with unit 9S exists on our network.”

  
“So, he’s…”

  
“No.” 2B replied sternly. “He isn’t dead.”

  
Pod 153: “Unit 9S’s personal data was briefly held on the machines’ servers following a previous death of his physical body. It is possible that 9S took this opportunity to imprint a copy of his personal data onto the machines’ servers.”

  
“I don’t understand. I thought you said his data was destroyed by the virus.” Kratos said, directed at 2B.

  
“That 9S’ data was destroyed. The data he would’ve imprinted on the machines’ servers would be from before he was infected.” 2B replied.

  
“So, that’s why you’re searching for machines constructing a network again.” Kratos stated.

  
“Yes. The pods and I believe that if a machine network came online again, it would quickly reclaim previously used storage areas. We would have access to all of the data that wasn’t purposely taken off of the servers the original network used. That would include 9S’ personal data.” She sat down on a broken stone pillar as she spoke.

  
“What happened to the original machine network?” Asked the Spartan.

  
“it’s complicated. But, to put it simply, the network evolved past its directive to destroy the androids once it decided it couldn’t live without a purpose if it ever succeeded. Previously during the machine wars, the network would simply annihilate the android resistance, then wait until they were back to full strength and do it again. For whatever reason, after thousands of years of war, the network finally realized it could choose a new purpose.” 2B replied.

  
“What happened to the machines?” Kratos asked. He walked over to a dilapidated conference table and sat in the least moss-covered chair.

  
Pod 153: “Based on YoRHa unit A2’s data, the machines built a central server, and invited every lifeform connected to the network to join it. This included all YoRHa androids and Resistance members infected with the logic virus. If the user agreed, their personal data was uploaded to the server.”

  
“Why would they do this?” He asked.

  
Pod 153: “Statement: The machine network loaded the server into a projectile and shot it into space. Conjecture: The machine network did this so the consciousnesses that developed here could find a different home. One far away from the endless conflict on Earth.”

  
“Hm.” Kratos could understand the presumed exigency. “So, how can you be sure the data 9S may have imprinted wasn’t taken by the network?”

  
Pod 153: “Personality data not compiled into a conscious form would have appeared to the network as little more than unaffiliated AI and memory files. In practice, the network would not have been able to discern these files as a consciousness.”

  
“So, it’s possible to bring him back?” Kratos unsurely concluded.

  
“Theoretically, yes. But, after almost a year searching for leads…” 2B trailed off. She pulled the black cloth back over her eyes and tied it.

"Anyway..." She stood up and walked into the other room.

  
“Pod. Any messages?”

  
Pod 153: “Yes. 1 New voice message received from Pod 042.”

  
“How long ago? Play it.” She ordered.

  
Pod 153: “Affirmative. Message was received six hours ago.”

  
Kratos entered the room as the pod began playing the audio.

  
“2B. I heard through our friends in the AAF communications division that you were quite active in the city ruins recently. We should catch up. I’ll be at the Forest Castle. Meet me there. And bring the axman. I have a surprise for him.” A2’s recorded voice commanded.

  
“Could you make it sound less ominous, please?” Another voice could be heard farther from the microphone. Kratos immediately recognized it as Atreus’.

  
“Uhm…I have a gift for him?” A2 added.

  
“That’s **not** better.” Atreus stated right before the audio ended.

  
“Who is that on the recording?” Kratos asked.

  
Pod 153: “Initial voice in the transmission verified as YoRHa unit A2. Additional vocal signature unclear.”

  
“That was my son’s voice.” Kratos commented hastily. He darted a frantic look at 2B. “Where is this Forest Castle?”

  
“It’s close.” 2B replied.


	6. The Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2B and Kratos arrive at the Forest Castle to meet A2 and Atreus.

“That’s it, there.” Said 2B, pointing at the large crenellated tower cresting above the treetops.

They travelled on a heavily wooded path that led through empty training grounds and old stone ruins. Kratos noticed, as they got closer to the castle, that there were more machine lifeforms around. They did little more than wander about and didn’t pay 2B and Kratos much attention beyond brief glances as they passed.

While continuing to walk, the pair observed machine lifeforms engaged in more complex activities. Large machines gathered felled trees for lumber and passed it on for smaller machines to saw into planks. In concentrated sections machines built rudimentary houses. They had also cleared land to work as crop-fields. Dozens of machines tilled rows of soil while others sowed seeds. Kratos couldn’t imagine what purpose farming crops would serve for machines without mouths. Perhaps farming was the only purpose.

They continued on until they came to a bridge and a large machine guarding it. It waved to Kratos and 2B.

“Welcome to the Forest Castle. You must be 2B. Your comrade A2 is waiting for you in the throne room.”

“Alright.” 2B replied evenly. She glanced back at Kratos and he followed her across.

“Your friend is popular with these machines. Can we trust them?”

“I don’t know about these machines. I haven’t been here in a while. But I can trust A2.”

“Mm.” Kratos replied.

They approached the castle doors where two more large machines stood guard.

“Welcome, 2B.” The guards spoke in unison as they opened the doors.

Kratos and 2B entered into a large hall. There were machine lifeforms of every size inside, but one rather ordinary-looking machine approached them.

“Greetings, and welcome. I am Asahi, one of the town elders. Your comrade A2 is a friend of ours, too. She told us to be expecting you and requested that we see you to her. She waits for you in the old throne room. If you would, please follow me.” The machine sang.

2B nodded in response. She followed the machine and Kratos followed her. Asahi led them to a set of doors and up a set of stairs into a smaller chamber.

Inside, machine children were playing in groups. The little machines paused briefly to focus on 2B when she entered, but soon resumed their activities. At the far end of the chamber was another set of doors. Asahi approached and opened them. Beyond was another stairway.

“Up these stairs is the throne room. I must be going, now. Please, feel free to stay as long as you like.” The machine stated as it turned to leave.

Kratos and 2B ascended the last set of stairs and opened the door to the throne room, a large mostly empty space with high ceilings draped in moss and vines. Tall windows permitted large columns of light to decorate the room. Otherwise, the space was sparsely furnished and obviously in disuse.

On the final steps, approaching the throne platform, sat A2. Machine children sat sleeping at her sides and another stood behind her, fiddling with and braiding her hair. She wore a wreath of white flowers on her head and a lone white flower behind her ear.

If he hadn’t seen 2B without her blindfold, the woman’s identical face may have eluded Kratos. She looked up at him with the same ice-blue eyes. Next to her sat his son, leaning back, peacefully asleep. A red gerbera daisy was tucked behind his ear. The long-haired woman glanced quickly at Atreus then back at Kratos, as if to invite him forward.

The God approached his son with some unconscious haste. He placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and gently shook him awake.

“Atreus. Boy.”

His son’s eyes opened quickly and rested on him.

“Father!” He leaped up from his seat, spooking the machines. He embraced Kratos, whom placed an arm around him.

“I was worried I’d never see you again.” Atreus said, still holding onto his dad.

Kratos didn’t respond and didn’t let go. He looked down at the boy hugging his waist. His hair, he noticed, had grown quite long since the last time he sat with him to cut it. Kratos and Atreus broke their embrace and Kratos got a good look at his son. No longer short at the sides and leading into a mohawk, Atreus sported medium-length dark brown hair. It stuck up in places and, overall, appeared wild. The armor he wore was in disrepair. The straps that held his quiver were frayed and one had already given way. The fur overlay was matted, stained, and dirty. Atreus appeared disheveled and exhausted, but he was safe.

Kratos looked to his side at the android surrounded by machine children. She turned to meet his gaze.

“You two are cute.” She spoke, tucking hair behind her ear.

“A2! Thank you so much for finding my dad. I can’t imagine how to repay you!” Atreus said, beaming a smile at her.

“Don’t mention it.” She replied.

Pod 042: “Statement: YoRHa unit 2B, it’s good to see you again.” The pod hovered past A2 and approached the other android, who was still standing by the throne room entrance.

“It’s good to see you too, Pod.” 2B replied, turning her attention from the reunion.

Pod 042 approached her at chest level. She extended a hand and gently pet the robot.

Pod 042: “Report: Pleasant.” The pod spoke as it floated up to its default position above 2B.

“2B. It’s been a long time.” A2 called out.

“A2…”

“You look good. A whole year without maintenance and your dress is barely dirty. You make me seem incompetent.” A2 joked. 2B glanced down at her dress in response.

“After all the dust you kicked up in the last few days, I assumed I’d see a tear, something.” She continued.

“How did you find out about that?” 2B asked, walking forward and stopping a few feet from the rest of the group with Pod 042 in tow.

A2, Atreus and Kratos sat on the disheveled steps approaching the old throne platform. 2B stood on the level ground just before them. Inside of the throne room was dark besides what light came through the tall, narrow windows. The light that entered the room was dim, now, and bluish in hue. Though the sun wouldn’t set, the sky was overcast by dark grey clouds, dampening the daylight.

“I turned over a relay base. Not a big deal, as opposed to…” She finished her statement by gesturing a hand at 2B.

“She only revealed herself to the other androids to protect me.” Kratos spoke up.

“…Even so, AAF reported her identity. Those documents will reach the top. 2B. You know what happens now.”

“…”

“I don’t understand. How could this be the first time AAF has spotted you in a year?” Kratos asked 2B.

“…”

“…I’m sure it wasn’t. This is the first time she let anyone live.” A2 picked up the question as the little machine behind her finished a long Dutch braid over her otherwise straight white hair. After a brief silence, Atreus spoke.

“What will happen now that they know you’re alive?” He asked.

“…It doesn’t matter. I’ll handle it.” 2B replied.

“2B. This isn’t a short-term problem. They’ll keep coming for you forever.” Said A2. She looked at 2B seriously, squinting an incredulous stare.

“…How is that any different than it’s been?” She replied. 2B felt A2’s glare but didn’t meet her eyes. Instead, she opted to look down at the moss-covered brick.

A2 stood up and stepped down from the stairs to the android’s level.

“When Command finds out there is still a YoRHa android alive, especially you, they’ll reconsider the completion of Project YoRHa. They’ll send everything they have.”

“I will handle it.” She replied following a pause.

“Let me help you!” A2 cried, finally drawing 2B’s gaze up from the ground.

“…They’ll kill you.” She replied, looking through her blindfold at the other android. She soon returned her eyes to the ground to avoid A2’s distressed expression.

“…2B.” A2 began. She took a step toward her, now standing in arms-length.

2B briefly glanced up at her before turning away, walking toward the door they had all entered. Her heeled boots clicked loudly with each step, resonating throughout the large room.

“Is that it?” A2 began quietly. “You’re ready to die?”

She didn’t respond and continued walking.

“You’re giving up?!” A2 spoke loudly, though she didn’t need to shout. “Have you given up on bringing him back?”

2B stopped walking. The absence of her boots’ clicking formed a vacuous silence. She looked back at A2 with a glare, the intensity of which was hidden behind the black cloth blindfold. A2 took another step towards her.

“I’m sorry.” 2B said quietly as she turned and resumed walking.

She passed through the doorway, allowing it to close behind her.

A2 stood staring at the door until Atreus spoke.

“…A2?” Atreus called out to the motionless android.

A2 turned to look at the boy. Her eyes still held tumult for a moment before her expression reset to face him.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

“…Yea. Yea, I’m fine.” She replied as she walked to one of the tall windows and gazed out. “She’s always like that. She goes off and dies and leaves all of the hard work up to me...”

A long silence followed. A2 could feel Atreus and Kratos’ eyes on her, but she kept her back to them. She looked out the window at the castle courtyard. Full trees grew through the cracks in the outer walls and moss covered most of the grounds. A2 noted how the aggressive reclamation of the castle stones by nature gave the structure a green hue identical to the surrounding forest. The sky had cleared, even of the commonly present haze. High off the ground, A2 looked out over a good portion of the forest. Direct sunlight fell down on the landscape and the forest returned a uniform energy, green, in response. The castle was no different. All of its surfaces covered by moss or obscured by foliage, the structure pulsed as one with the forest.

“What will you do now?” Atreus inquired, breaking her concentration.

“Protect her…There’s not much left for me to do.” She replied somberly, turning from the window to face Kratos and Atreus. “What about you two?”

“What do you mean?” Kratos asked.

“Well, you’re going to need to find a place to stay that’s outside AAF territory. Pod 042 can help find you a place where you’re not likely to be bothered, I guess.” A2 stated. She walked from the window back to Atreus and Kratos.

“Can’t we come with you?” Atreus asked, glancing between A2 and his father.

“What? Didn’t you hear? It’s suicide.” A2 replied, surprised.

“We’ve seen some pretty dangerous fights. Come on. We can help you.” Atreus said.

“…I don’t get what’s hard to understand about this. They won’t stop coming until we are dead…”

“It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve faced those odds.” Kratos said.

“Huh? Big man, you want to help?” A2 darted a confused look at Kratos.

“2B brought me to Atreus. I owe her and you a debt.” The god responded.

A2 stood with her arms crossed, visibly pondering their proposal.

“Seems like a waste; going through all that trouble to reunite you two, just to have you die.”

“It’s not that easy to kill us.” Atreus replied. “If we run, maybe we can catch up to her.” He suggested.

“Yea, that’s probably not a great idea. Plus, she’s long-gone by now.” A2 responded. She smiled at the boy, impressed by his courage.

“How will you find her again?” Kratos inquired.

Pod 042: “Touch ID registration for YoRHa unit 2B confirmed. Location tracking available.”

“Oh? Great work, Pod!” said A2.

“Wait. If you didn’t know that Pod could do that, how were you planning to find her?” Atreus asked.

“I was going to search around the woods until I saw her. I don’t know…” A2 responded, drawing confounded expressions from Kratos and Atreus.

“It would’ve worked.” She said reassuringly. “Anyway. What weapons do you have besides that ax?”

“Nothing.” Kratos responded. “Boy?”

“I got nothing.”

“Well, we’re going to need to remedy that first. Luckily, we’re already at the best place to do that. What do you two use?” A2 asked as she began walking toward the exit. Kratos and Atreus followed.

“Father uses his ax, but he usually carries a shield with it. I usually carry a bow.”

“A bow? Like a hunting bow?” A2 asked, surprised.

They walked down the steps they had ascended earlier, arriving in sight of the stairs down to the castle’s main hall. A2 led them in a different direction to a different set of stairs, presumably leading to another tower of the castle.

“Yea. Why? Is that weird?” Atreus replied.

“Hm. Not really. Some A-types used crossbows and drawn-bows because materials for the arrows could be found easily, but I haven’t seen one in a long time. Maybe we could update you to a rifle? A shield should be easy enough.”

“A-Types…Like you? Can you use a bow?”

“Mhm. I can use any weapon system with a little practice. We proto-types were specialized in close quarter weapons combat, but my adaptive learning AI makes it easy to pick up new skills if they’re necessary.”

“Cool.”

They climbed several more flights of stairs and walked through mostly empty rooms. One resembled a dining hall, another a library. Atreus, A2, and Kratos stepped outdoors on a walkway between two towers while Pod 042 floated overhead. The center had collapsed and there was a wide gap separating it from the adjacent tower.

“There’s a blacksmith’s shop on the other side. Come on.” A2 ordered as she jumped and lunged across the gap. Atreus climbed on Kratos’ back and they followed suit.

They entered the tower and were blasted with heat. Inside was a lone machine tending to a large forge. On top of large stone slabs arranged as counters were all sorts of metal weapons.

“Greetings. Welcome to my shop. I am Masamune.” The machine began, turning to greet them. “Oh? Welcome back A2.” He added with a tone of familiarity upon noticing her.

Masamune’s shop was small and the forge took up a sizeable amount of space. Lining the far wall were large shields used by machines and in the corners were large crates filled with metal weapons and armor pieces.

“Hey. I need a shield for the big man, here.”

“A shield should be no problem. I have plenty.” The machine replied as it turned towards boxes filled with goods.

“I also need to ask you something.” A2 added.

“What is it?” The machine inquired without looking up from his task.

“You wouldn’t happen to have an old YoRHa drawn-bow lying around, would you?”

Masamune stopped and visibly thought.

“Hm…I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve recovered any bows, but I do have the schematics for one.” The machine replied, pointing at his head to signal the design’s location.

“Could you make it for me?” A2 inquired.

“Yes. Of course. But, it will take some time.” Masamune replied while he lined several different shields up on the countertop.

“Ok.” A2 replied to the machine. “Let’s get you a shield. We can come back for the bow later.” She turned to Kratos and spoke.

“Mm.” Kratos agreed, stepping towards the blacksmith to look at the shields he had displayed.

Kratos chose a titanium shield from Masamune’s selections. Light and durable, it could be practically ignored while not in use and easily used in an offensive capacity. A2 completed the transaction and the group headed back outside.

“Take care!” The machine chirped.

“See ya soon.” A2 replied as they left the shop.

A2, Atreus, Kratos, and Pod 042 crossed the broken walkway again and entered the room resembling a library. A2 stopped and turned to Atreus.

“It won’t take long for Masamune to craft your bow, but I can’t expect you to do much unarmed. For now, can you wield a knife?” She asked. He nodded positively.

A2 moved a hand to her chest, and from it she pulled the knife. It was thin with a white handle. A spine of gold trimmed the grip up to a slight hand guard. The blade was about six inches long and lay sheathed in a black scabbard. On the scabbard was a white insignia Atreus didn’t recognize. When she leaned down and placed it in the boy’s hands, it was much heavier than he imagined it would be. He held the handle and felt a definite vibration coursing through it. Quickly, the vibration seeped into his hand, travelling through his forearm and diffusing throughout his body. He turned the knife over in his hands before tucking the scabbard into his belt.

“Thank you, A2.” The boy said, looking up at the android.

“Be careful with that. The blade can go through just about anything.” She stated.

Atreus moved the scabbard about his belt, trying to find the most comfortable accommodations for the new weight.

A2 looked down at the boy fiddling with his belt.

“I should’ve asked Masamune to make you a comb.” A2 joked about his messy hair.

Atreus ran a hand through his hair or attempted to before it was promptly stopped by unkempt knots.

“Point taken.” He replied, laughing at himself.

The group continued back down toward the castle exit.

“Hey, A2?” Atreus spoke up.

“What?” She replied, leading them down another staircase.

“Are you and 2B friends?”

“Mm. Something like that, I guess. It’s complicated.”

“What’s she like?”

“Quiet…and serious.”

“She seemed sad.” Atreus commented, running his hands down the bannister of the stone staircase.

“…Yea…aren’t we all?” A2 asked rhetorically. “I suppose it’s how she deals with it, being sad. She shuts up and acts like she doesn’t have emotions, but I know she does. All androids have emotions; machines too.”

They arrived in sight of the castle’s main hall. The large crowd of machines had gone elsewhere. Now, only a few children played in a group.

“I think, at some point she must have been different. But, she was already that way when I met her.” A2 continued.

“Huh…How did you meet?” The boy’s question drew a laugh out of A2.

“When I first met 2B…Command had her sent to kill me.” She replied.

“What?!” Atreus yelped.

“They sent someone with an identical face to kill you?” Kratos asked.

A2 glanced at the Spartan and saw his expression of scrutiny.

“I know, right?” She replied, intending her tone to imply a joke. Instead, her words sounded hollow. The air hung heavily for a moment before she spoke again.

“My unit was the prototype for the next generation of YoRHa androids. Command sent us on a descent mission I’d later learn they didn’t need nor expect us to survive. They used our mission data to develop an updated combat AI for the new models, as well as develop new types.” A2 said as she walked down the steps to the castle hall.

“They intended for you to die?” Kratos asked.

“Yes. We were only made as a bridge between official generations.” A2 responded.

“I was the only survivor.” She continued. “I deserted, so they sent 2B to assassinate me. Her and I are the same model, Number 2. So, my data was used in the construction of her updated AI. Command must have assumed the model with my combat data would be best equipped to kill me. That’s why I’m worried about 2B. Command is cruel and calculating, and they know what she’s capable of.”

“Why do you care so much about protecting her?” Atreus asked.

“I don’t know, honestly… It just feels like what I should be doing. After the end of YoRHa and the machine war, I found the pods and 2B by the debris of a tower the machines had built. 2B was just sitting there, motionless.”

Pod 042: “Unit 2B came to the machine tower in an attempt to recover unit 9S’ personal data. When this failed, she gave up hope.”

The group had stopped and now stood in the center of the castle hall.

“Well, after I got her to acknowledge my existence and the world around her, I stayed with her and the pods. At first she seemed so lost.  We stayed together for a little more than a week. And, for the first time since my unit was killed, I felt ok…” A2 spoke quietly, gazing down at the ground. Her expression held a slight smile, but her eyes narrowed as if they were set on a tragedy.

“2B thinks she can use a previous version of 9S’ data to bring him back.” Kratos spoke up.

“Oh? She told you about 9S?” A2 asked, looking up from the ground.

"Who is 9S?” Atreus asked.

Pod 042: “Response: Unit 9S was a YoRHa Scanner model, often sent on missions alongside unit 2B.”

“I saw him, or his body.” Kratos replied to the android.

“That explains what Pod 153 is up to, and why Pod 042 wouldn’t reveal their location. Anyway, I know that’s her plan. We came up with it together. The pods told us it was plausible, and she left with Pod 153.”

“And you were alone again…” said Atreus as the group resumed walking toward the castle entrance.

“…Yea. Today is the first time I’ve seen her since then.” A2 replied. A brief silence followed.

“So, does 2B have the memories from your descent mission?” Atreus asked, walking by her side.

“Huh? No. Not exactly. It’s probably more like, my memories of goliath machines and horrible circumstances were used to update her AI and help her out in battle. But, who knows? I’m not an AI designer.” A2 replied

“You and her just look the same, that’s it?” Atreus asked, befuddled.

Pod 042: “Response: Units 2B and A2 share Number 2’s personality AI. While it serves as the foundation for behavior, once an AI is applied to an individual, it reacts to the experiences of that individual through a unit’s personal data. It is unclear whether personality AIs change over time, or simply adapt to circumstances as they arise and are repeated.”

“Huh. So, what happened when you and 2B first met?” The boy asked A2.

“What do you mean?” She replied, approaching the castle doors.

“When 2B came to kill you. What happened?”

“…”

She placed a forearm against the castle doors and pushed them open. Sunlight poured into the hall, revealing the ivy-stained stone interior in full color.

A2, Atreus, and Kratos walked out into the courtyard with Pod 042 following overhead. The little machines stopped at the threshold, staying inside the castle. They waved to the group.

"What are those? Kratos asked, looking upwards as he stepped outside.

High in the sky, over half a dozen bright dots could be seen descending in tight groups, leaving trails of smoke behind them.

“A problem.” A2 responded. “Pod. Get a location on 2B.”

Pod 042: “Understood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan to keep writing this story during the semester, but I can't promise a quick update for chapter 7. I'll try to comment my progress from time to time. Thanks for reading.


	7. War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A2, Kratos, and Atreus tail 2B.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea. I expected the ideas to take longer to flesh out but I had three good days of writing and a good editing session and here I am. The semester starts very soon. So I'm glad I'm able to post this and go. I'll keep y'all updated on ch. 8.

“Is that smoke?” Atreus chirped, pointing to the treetops. Black smoke puttered into the wind in the distance. No response was necessary.

“Pod. You’re sure this is the route 2B followed?” The android asked.

Pod 042: “Affirmative. Unit 2B came through this area approximately forty minutes ago. Unit 2B is currently 322 meters away, South by Southwest.”

“She’s moving fast.” Kratos commented.

“And towards those drop ships…” A2 replied. Walking at a hastened pace toward the bellowing smoke with Atreus and Kratos following behind.

“Drop ships?” The boy inquired, pushing a tree branch out of his way and holding it back for his dad to pass.

“Yea. Those lights up there.” A2 answered. “If they were flight units, they would’ve reached the ground already. Those are slow, so they’re most likely big too.”

“Huh. Do you think it’s the androids coming after 2B?”

“Well, and your dad. But, no. They’re not falling close to the City Ruins. And even for 2B, that would be a lot to send.”

“Then what could it be?” Atreus asked.

“I have no idea what they’re after.” A2 replied, pushing back another tree branch to reveal the white cobbled pathway indicating android architecture.

“Is this the camp you snuck into?” Atreus commented as he ducked under the branch A2 still held.

“…” A2’s lack of a reply left an uneasy silence in the air. She darted her gaze from the boy up to Kratos who followed behind. Her expression seethed concern.

“Wait here.” She spoke directly to Atreus after a long pause.

Atreus looked up at Kratos for confirmation. He nodded in agreement and response. Kratos stood back by the tree-line as well while A2 advanced alone. A long-bladed sword with a white and black handle materialized behind her. Around it shone a halo of gold light, seemingly bracing the blade to her back. She reached her right hand back to grip the sword as she turned the corner, out of Kratos and Atreus’ sight.

Kratos and his son waited through a few moments of silence.

“Father?” Atreus broke the relative quiet.

The only sound to hear was cracking flames, still somewhat distant from their location. Whatever the disturbance was drove the usually ample wildlife from the area.

“Yes?”

“Why are you helping A2?” Atreus asked.

“Hm?” He let out an inquisitive tone. “Is this not what you wanted?”

“No. It is…It’s just…”

“What?”

“You wanted to stop fighting…I know you did. We left Midgard just to avoid a fight with the Aesir. It’s my fault that any of this happened, and now—”

“It is not your fault.” Kratos cut off his son’s response. He looked at the boy sternly, pausing before he appeared ready to speak again.

“Kratos.” A2’s voice cut through their conversation.

The Spartan looked up to see the android standing at the corner she had previously turned. She held the katana-style blade in her right hand. Kratos looked back at his son to reassure him they would speak on this again later. He walked to A2’s position.

“Was there a problem?” He waited until he was close enough to speak quietly.

“No. I need you to come with me.” She replied curtly. She released the sword in her hand and it reappeared behind her back.

A2 led Kratos back around the corner, leaving Atreus with Pod 042.

Atreus glanced around at his surroundings. With not much but dense woods to spectate, his attention inevitably kept returning to the black smoke and cracking fire in the distance. After several thoughts returned to A2 and his father, his anxiety mounted. Atreus began pacing the tree-line, several yards in either direction. Pod 042 followed back-and-forth, unsure about the tactical purpose of the boy’s movement. His hands, with nothing else to occupy them, returned repeatedly to his belt and the android’s knife tucked into it. Initially shuffling the knife about his belt, he finally gripped it. It felt hot to the touch, perhaps due to the direct sunlight on its almost-entirely metallic body. After several more moments of pacing, he pulled the knife from its sheath, if only to alleviate his anxiety through a new action. The knife’s blade rang out as it left its sheath. But, to Atreus, the ring didn’t fade expectantly. In fact, just after he noticed the length of the ringing seemed unnatural, it intensified to an almost unbearable tone. Atreus felt as though thousands of voices shrieked at him simultaneously. Through the incomprehensible ring, one voice tore itself from the greater vibration and shouted clearly for Atreus to hear.

“A2!!” The voice shrieked.

Atreus dropped the knife immediately. The ringing stopped as the blade left his hand, but the single shriek seemed to travel farther than the rest of the vibration that seeped into his hand, wrist, and forearm. The voice that shouted his new companions name seemed to shoot straight up through his arm like lightning, and lodge itself in his head, behind his eyes, inside his mouth. For a few moments he stared down at the unsheathed knife. It felt as though it were his mind that felt to shout for A2, and his mouth that formed the tone. But the voice wasn’t his. The knife laid flat on a bed of long, bent grass. He leaned down to pick it up, noticing that no matter the angle he viewed it at, the blade appeared to shine a brilliant white light. Additionally, no matter how much light was shining on the blade, it maintained its curious luminosity. Atreus hesitated before he placed his hand on the knife. He quickly returned it to the sheath he held in his other hand and tucked the sheath in his belt. The boy looked down at his right hand, opening and closing it to dispel the tightness he felt all the way up his forearm. Just holding the handle to place the blade back in its sheath reintroduced the current that had overwhelmed him.

“Boy!” Called his father’s voice, breaking his concentration.

 *********************************************

Kratos followed the long-haired android down the stone path through the forest. It wasn’t long before he saw the source of the bellowing black smoke. The perimeter watchtower of the android camp stood, barely, on three stable legs. The fourth was indented to a degree that would eventually prove terminal for the structure. The balcony still burned with invisible flames and spewed ample black smoke.

Before they could move further, Kratos saw a dark-red liquid indistinguishable from blood spattered across the white pavement, as if it were released under great force. The pooling liquid sunk into the indents of the walkway and spread. Kratos looked back at A2, whom returned his glance with a furrowed brow. Kratos stepped off the walkway and approached a set of bushes that lined it. Peering over, he saw the origin of the blood. Lying limp behind the bushes was a female body in an AAF uniform, with their back facing Kratos. The back of their uniform was soaked red and torn, revealing what looked to be a large exit-wound. Kratos stepped over the bushes, squatted down, and turned the body onto its back. Twin patches of blood seeped from narrow wounds.

“She moved fast. They didn’t see her coming.” A2 commented as Kratos stood up from the android’s body.

“Mm.” Kratos replied shortly.

The pair continued into the camp. More blood could be seen splashed onto the white building walls and more bodies could be seen strewn across the courtyard in front of the large communications building. A2 approached the main entrance while Kratos followed.

Just inside the doors were two more bodies, presumably the building sentries.

“These bodies. She must have infiltrated this building before the fight in the courtyard…” Kratos commented.

“That would make sense.” A2 replied. She walked hastily, deeper into the building interior.

Walking down the hall to the server room she had infiltrated just a day earlier, A2 stepped over several more guards and entered. Inside the room was still smoky from whatever altercation took place inside. Said event left five androids dead at their stations, with one station unmanned. A2 approached the empty terminal seat and began accessing the system.

“It looks like she was looking for information regarding the objective of those drop ships, based on what files were accessed.” A2 commented as she worked at the terminal. “There isn’t much about why they are dropping, but there is a location. AAF groups one through three were dispatched as support…to the Desert Zone.” She continued.

“Nothing about the reason?”

“…None of the reports say. Even the classified files mention AAF’s role ambiguously as ‘support’. But whatever it is, it’s a big deal. They’ve pulled almost all their forces out of this area for whatever is going down in the Desert Zone. We can bet that’s where 2B is headed.”

“So, 2B wiped out this camp to ensure the element of surprise in the desert…”

“…Does that bother you?” A2 asked without looking up from her completed task on the terminal screen.

“Hm?” Kratos replied, turning his attention from the mess of a room to the android in the chair beside him.

“Does this change how you see her?” A2 asked.

“…No… She walks a path I am familiar with. She seeks something the powerful do not wish her to have. She is powerful herself and steeled to endure their fury; on that path is war.” He replied.

A2 stood up from the terminal and walked toward the exit.

“…Let’s get out of here. It stinks.”

They retraced their steps back to the courtyard. With no sign of any other presence, the pair reasonably assumed the camp had been decimated. They began to walk back to Atreus’ position.

“Kratos…” A2 spoke up after a brief silence.

“Yes?” Kratos responded flatly.

“Atreus can’t see this…”

“…Mm.” He replied after a pause.

**********************************************

“So, what happened? Is everything alright?” Atreus asked the pair as they approached him.

“We were able to get information on the drop ships’ destination. It’s a pretty safe bet that’s where 2B is headed.” A2 replied. “We saw signs of AAF presence still in the camp, so we’re gonna take a little detour.” She continued.

“Ok.” Atreus replied plainly. His mind was still swimming with thoughts of the voice he had heard and the pain in his hand. He had several burning questions for A2 regarding her knife swimming around in his head, but he opted for silence and let the questions consume him rather than others. The boy felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to see his father looking down at him.

“We’re headed into the desert. Reports say there will likely be many hostile forces there. Are you ready?” He asked with a tone holding confidence in his son and curiosity regarding his answer.

“…Yes, sir!” He replied after a brief pause. His gaze left his father’s face and set on A2’s behind him. Atreus could glean little from her expression but a vague tension.

“Pod. Where’s 2B now?” A2 asked.

Pod 042: “Response: Target is currently moving. Unit 2B is approximately 481 meters away, bearing, South.

“Towards the desert?”

Pod 042: “Affirmative.”

“I can’t see the drop ships over the trees anymore, either. They’ll be landing soon. We need to get moving.” A2 commented.

The group moved quickly through the woods. There was no conversation and the only words spoken were from Pod 042 issuing directions and giving updates regarding 2B’s distance from the group. Though neither A2 nor Kratos showed outward concerns about the potential of the upcoming confrontation, the poise they exuded implied to Atreus a serious potential. After some time, their surroundings looked less like a forest, giving way to a craggy, sandy set of cliffs and dunes. Ample grass became patchy, eventually giving way to a sand sea. The winds picked up without any trees or buildings to interrupt them and the air itself blasted Atreus’ face like that escaping an oven. At first glance the area appeared to be a desert of little import, but all the forces of it, the wind, the sand, and the air, coursed together in instrumental fashion. Atreus was unsure if the others perceived any of this.

Pod 042: “Unit 2B is currently 122 meters West of this position.” The pod chimed over the blowing winds. It turned and pointed its arm in one direction, indicating that was West.

The pod pointed at a steep set of dunes that threatened to block out the sun in front of them. The group began an arduous climb up and down the dune system. They traversed just this single set of ripples months of wind had set into the landscape. Still, each dune threatened at least 10 feet, and each successive mound topped the height of the previous. High winds blew super-heated air and glass-like sand grains about at high speed. Desert heat distorted the horizon and proved unforgiving in its task, bearing down on anything under its sun. All of this combined greatly reduced visibility and maneuverability.

Kratos, Atreus, A2, and Pod 042 pressed on until they crested another dune.

“Look. There.” A2 commented, pointing. For a moment, when the wind paused, a drop ship could be seen in the distance. Just beyond it was a visibly impenetrable wall of swirling sand.

Kratos and A2 traded glances before continuing toward the drop ship. The wind intensified, making verbal communication difficult. Artillery fire erupted seemingly close-by. As the group crested the next dune, they saw the firing line. Eight artillery pieces were being operated in the depression between dunes. Their position offered them clear firing lines as well as ample protection, though it seemed they weren’t being fired on. Their targets were invisible, even with spotters, due to the sandstorm. Shells entered into the wall of sand and the impacts could be heard only occasionally.

“POD!!” A2 shouted over the storm. “WHERE’S 2B?”

Pod 042: “Response: Unit 2B is currently 66 meters West of our position.” The pod announced at normal volume. It pointed in the proper direction.

A2 squinted at the pod, not having heard a single word of its statement. She followed the direction it pointed without a response. Atreus and Kratos followed her. They stayed close to the cusp of the dune in order to avoid detection as they headed West.

Huge spirals of sand picked up by powerful currents dotted the entire area surrounding the artillery’s target. So much sand had been kicked into the air that it now entirely blocked out the sun and effectively encased the desert. Inside was a natural kiln of super-heated air, trapped from above and obstructed at the sides.

A2 focused on keeping her footing in the sand. The heat made her uncomfortable to an extreme degree, but logically she knew her body could withstand more than this without malfunction. Initially she worried for Atreus, unsure if the myth-like stories he told her while waiting at the Castle were really worth anything more than the entertainment of listening to him.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a sudden tug on her right hand. She turned her head quickly and saw it was Atreus holding onto her. He was trying to say something she couldn’t hear and pointing off toward their right. He didn’t repeat himself, but he continued to point.

In the depression to their right, some distance away, was a group of figures. Pillars of whipping sand obstructed the view, making it difficult to discern any features. A2 turned to Pod 042, whom also pointed in that direction. She glanced back at Kratos, then immediately dashed out ahead of the rest of the group toward the figures in the distance.

A2 pressed forward fervently, digging just one or two steps into the sand before dashing again to cover ground faster. She closed approximately forty yards distance in under four seconds. She could see details of the group at this range. 2B was among them, her dress tattered at the hemline and stained red. The others, a crowd; a waste of space and machinery, puppets in love with their strings. A2 allowed rage to consume her, summoning a short sword into each hand. Wielding a machine’s sword in her right hand and a Type-3 sword in her left, A2 engaged the crowd.

She reached her first target before he knew there was a danger. Approaching from behind, A2 was able to plunge both swords into the android before his fellow soldiers could communicate over the storm. She held the android’s body in front of her as a shield, anticipating incoming fire from enemy pods that came right on time. Their fire was halted when Pod 042 shot a laser into the crowd of pods and began laying down suppressing fire, forcing them into evasion-mode. The resultant window gave A2 the opening to throw the android’s body down and reengage. She rushed towards 2B to balance the odds of her skirmish.

2B had been holding off a squad of three D-Type combat androids, along with several AAF soldiers. D-Types are best known for boasting magnetic shielding technology and exceptional armor.

All three units approached 2B in a half-moon formation with their shields activated. AAF soldiers filled in the gaps to support.

The forces that initially intended to encircle 2B, a group of five AAF soldiers, were instead forced to face A2. Her chest fluttered with the adrenaline of taking on the group. She closed the gap between them before the soldiers could form rank, plunging blades into two of them in the first encounter. She jumped back with a dash. Upon landing, she threw the machine’s sword like a spear into another soldier’s chest. The two remaining androids formed rank together, both wielding spears. A2 dashed towards them, reappearing too close for their weapons to mean any harm. She drove the Type-3 blade into one soldier’s torso, allowing the weight of his body to spin her around as she retrieved the sword. On the backswing, she sliced the last soldier’s stomach and quickly finished him with a cut of the other blade.

While she dispatched the five regulars, the D-Types forced 2B into a slow retreat. There was no opening for attack, and at close range D-Types are elite. 2B had been taking slow steps backwards as the half-moon formation encroached.

A2 acknowledged the task at hand by entering “B-Mode”, a state where her internal core temperature exceeds safe levels and the excess energy is immediately supplied as physical power. She dug a heel into the sand and dashed at the left-most shield, landing a solid punch. The android was forced to take a step back. She punched the barrier again, and again. The third punch created a sizeable crack in the magnetic shield. The D-Types’ faces were covered by special forces helmets but A2 imagined this android was perhaps shitting his pants at the sight of her. She landed two more punches in rapid succession, each drawing a crunching sound out of the magnetic shield. She jumped back and summoned a huge two-handed sword into her hands. Before he could react, A2 smashed the heavy blade down on the android’s shield, shattering it. Still, the D-Types’ armor proved sufficient against the blow, and the android engaged in close-quarters-combat with A2. Unlike a D-Type, A2 wasn’t specialized for hand to hand combat. Without her swords, she was at a significant disadvantage.

She quickly lost control of the grapple, and the AAF support group rushed 2B to prevent her from freeing A2 immediately. Their developing plan to use A2 as leverage against 2B was interrupted by Kratos, whom entered the fight by jumping high into the air and slamming the Leviathan ax into the ground as he landed. The force sent everyone, D-Types included, tumbling to the ground and a plume of ice and sand erupted upwards. The end of the grapple and the entrance of a third opponent forced the D-Types to reconsider their position.

The androids set a temporary retreat from 2B, A2, and Kratos, falling back behind the protection of the remaining D-Type shields. The group was left in the depression of the dune to regroup.

“We won’t have much time before reinforcements focus on this position. We need to move!” A2 shouted over the storm. She could hear herself but was unsure if the others heard.

2B stood still gripping her sword and staring in the direction the androids had retreated. She breathed through her mouth to help regulate the stress she was putting her body under. In the moments following, the true scope of the battle revealed itself.

Looking around, A2 began to notice the bodies. Dozens of AAF uniformed individuals laid in the sand around her. Some were grunts, like those who supported the D-Types’ attack. Others were special forces: B and C types (Battlers and Cancellers), as well as a D-Type she had apparently dispatched before A2 arrived. A2 glanced back at 2B, who remained in a defensive stance. She took a step toward her and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. Before her hand made contact, 2B jolted her head back with a glare. Her features visibly softened as she acknowledged who was close to her. Her mouth formed the words “A2”, but the sound was lost to the wind. The hand A2 had hesitated to place on the android fell onto her shoulder. 2B took one hand off of her blade, allowing its tip to drop into the sand at her side.

A2 leaned in and spoke directly into 2B’s ear to ensure she would hear.

“More will be coming. We need to get out of here.” She reiterated.

2B looked up at A2, then around to see Kratos holding his ax and shield, and Atreus, whom looked at her with a panicked expression. 2B frowned, but nodded in agreement. She hobbled her first steps, still regaining her composure. By the time 2B approached Atreus and Kratos she was walking normally again. Still, Atreus looked up at her with worry on his face. She refused to meet his gaze again.

2B had sustained considerable injuries. Unbeknownst to her, a stream of blood had escaped her mouth at some point, leaving a stain on her cheek. The normally feathered sleeves of her black dress were in tatters, and on her right forearm she sported a deep cut that had bled out onto her glove. A large gash under her left clavicle was revealed by a damp blood-stain emanating from it and trending downward.

She could feel A2 behind her drilling a concerned look into the back of her head, but she didn’t have what she came for yet. She looked to Kratos, whose expression gave little hint to his thoughts. He was glancing around the desert, presumably searching for a viable route for their retreat. Before he or anyone else could relay a direction to the group, artillery shells fell close to their position. Too close for the firing line they’d passed to target, the area was being fired on by another artillery group. Android forces were aware of their presence on a wide scale.

In rapid succession, three flight units landed around 2B, A2, Atreus, and Kratos. Their window for retreat had already closed. The D-Types and support troops that had initially pulled back flooded into the depression for a counterattack.

“BOY! GET DOWN!” Kratos yelled as he drew his shield and hunched down in front of his son.

The flight units unleashed bursts of large caliber rounds on the group. Projectiles hit the ground around them with heavy thuds and kicks of sand. The androids’ pods filled the air with small arms fire, as well. 2B and A2 easily dodged the onslaught and moved together towards a single flight unit.

Though they are designed for descent and air support missions, mechanized flight units sported ample weaponry: a large caliber cannon capable of incapacitating other armored units, a particle sword for close range engagements in the air, and missiles set to launch in a barrage formation rounded out its offensive capabilities.

But where the flight units excelled offensively, they lacked defensive capability when deployed as ground forces. The design of the unit leaves the pilot exposed, and the components that allowed for transformation into flight-mode proved clunky on the ground, limiting mobility. 2B and A2 knew this and aimed to exploit these weaknesses without a shared word.

The pair charged forward. The closest flight unit ceased firing and pulled out its particle sword, crashing it into the ground. 2B and A2 proved too fast and too small for the unit to accurately target them. A2 dashed straight into the mecha, driving a long blade into the rotary hinges in its sword arm. Sparks flew from the unit’s appendage, and the invading blade rendered it non-operational. 2B took the opening to charge straight towards the mecha pilot. She drove her blade through the cockpit before the pilot had a chance to pull up the unit’s other arm to block her strike. The other two flight units closed in on them in response.

Before another flight unit could engage the pair of androids, it was struck with a loud impact from the Leviathan ax. The mecha stepped back to regain its balance, but Kratos pulled it towards him by calling the ax back to his hand. He rushed the off-balance unit and landed a leaping punch to its body. The impact sent the unit flying through the depression and into the surrounding dune with a tumble.

A2 and 2B had already begun engaging the ground troops that rushed their position to defend the flight units. Kratos belted a single blast of ice at the remaining mecha, preventing it from intervening in their skirmish. The three belligerents beat back the android forces decidedly.

The D-Types, recognizing their reoccurring disadvantage compared to A2 and 2B together, formed a close rank. One D-Type stood behind the two D-Types with operational shields. The androids quickly cornered A2 and 2B. Their accompanying pods set out in front of them, charging a uniform attack. The pods released a blast of energy on A2 and 2B, forcing them both to the ground clutching their heads. Pod 042 went spiraling into the sand with a thud, as well.

“Father!” Atreus shouted over the heavy winds, drawing Kratos’ attention to his incapacitated companions.

The Spartan recalled the Leviathan from the disadvantaged flight unit, running at full-sprint towards the D-Types bearing down on the defenseless androids. Atreus followed behind.

With a shout Kratos sent a quick slash of ice-magic at the shielded androids. Another two slashes sent out two more bursts. On the backswing of the third slash, Kratos braced, allowing the Leviathan to charge more energy. He released the energy along with the ax, sending it flying out toward the D-Types with great power. The Leviathan made contact with one of the D-Type shields, cracking it instantly. As it rotated, the ax further damaged the barrier. Kratos recalled the ax and immediately began recharging. He hoisted his shield up in front of him, casing it in ice. The Spartan rushed forward with supernatural speed, bashing the D-Types failing shield with his. The magnetic shield gave way, leaving the android defenseless besides their reinforced armor. Kratos struck the remaining shield to his right with the still-charged Leviathan, forcing the android back.

“Atreus!” He ordered and the boy sprinted by his father with a hand on his knife.

In one smooth motion, Atreus unsheathed the blade and drove it up under the shield-less android’s ribs. As A2 promised, the blade slid through the android’s armored exterior without much resistance. The handle vibrated expectantly in his grip. However, he didn’t expect the energy to intensify before he could retrieve the blade. The unknown energy held within the knife made Atreus nervous. Pain creeped up his forearm after only a moment and made it difficult for him to pull the blade free. He mustered all of his strength to pull the knife out, and in the moment he did, Atreus could feel all of the chaotic energy in the blade course together for the first time. The painfully intense vibration ceased and was replaced by an exhilarating energy. Energy pooled into the blade, and a gold-yellow orb of light emanated from it. In an instant the light contracted and expanded, producing a powerful explosion, blasting the D-Type android clean off the blade and critically wounding the shield-less android standing behind them. Atreus turned to his father who was already staring. They had only a moment to marvel before the remaining D-Type and AAF support troops regrouped.

A2 and 2B were conscious but disoriented. They had little time to react to an incoming projectile attack from the remaining flight unit. They dodged and quickly reengaged, charging at the mecha.

Kratos continued to work against the remaining AAF support troops. Mostly armed with spears, the troops engaged Kratos but were no match. The D-Type that remained was forced into a more offensive position in order to defend their comrades. The android dropped their magnetic shield and approached to engage Kratos in hand to hand combat.

A2 summoned a large two-handed sword and rushed the flight unit, aiming at its left leg. The pilot wasn’t bold enough to pull out the particle sword, giving A2 a perfect window to approach. She drove the large blade through the flight unit’s appendage. 2B mirrored a similar plan on the other leg, and together they disabled the flight unit’s ground mobility. The only choice the pilot had left was to stay and fight or switch to flight-mode and leave their comrades to A2, 2B, Atreus, and Kratos.

The D-Type android proved a formidable hand to hand opponent for Kratos. Their physical strength was only matched by Type-E androids and their AI was built from the bottom up to prioritize preservation. The android was conservative in their fighting style, but ruthlessly powerful in execution. The Spartan could not subdue the android without facing immediate physical punishment and the D-Type only seemed interested in prolonging the fight indefinitely.

“Father! Behind you!” Atreus called out the encroaching AAF troops.

Kratos turned and struck three androids with a shockwave from the Leviathan while holding the D-Type back with his shield.

The pilot inside the immobilized flight unit had only moments to react to A2 and 2B’s plan. Instead of switching to flight-mode and retreating, the android deployed a short-range ballistic countermeasure against A2 and 2B and released all missiles in barrage formation on Kratos and Atreus’ position.

Kratos could see the barrage coming from his position grappling with the D-Type android. He was able to land a square uppercut to the android’s stomach and repeated the motion for good measure.

“Atreus!” He called out for assistance again.

Atreus sprinted toward the stunned android, ducking an AAF troop’s strike on the way. He knew he had to stab the D-Type, but he didn’t have to kill them. He only needed to incapacitate them long enough for his father to handle the missiles. He gripped the knife again, and again it struck a painful chord into his hand. He pulled the blade from its sheath with a yell and drove it into the android in an overhead motion using both hands. Again, the blade entered with little resistance, but Atreus didn’t grip it so securely to ensure it would drive through. He anticipated what came, a violent shockwave of energy that he couldn’t control. The pain proved intense, but the android also couldn’t bear it.

Kratos used this opportunity to unleash Spartan Rage, his extent power-bank, and channel that energy directly into the Leviathan ax. He braced for the power he would need, charging the ax to the limit of what he could generate in that time. Unleashing the energy, he swiped fervently, back-and-forth, into the air. The slashes painted large blasts of ice-energy into the sky, blocking and destroying the incoming missile barrage and the flight unit they originated from. The blasts were so powerful they continued past the mecha and crashed into the wall of sand behind it accompanied by loud impacts. The remaining AAF troops, having spectated this feat, retreated immediately. The depression between the dunes was now an empty battlefield, save for the fallen bodies and the lone D-Type writhing in agony with a blade in their chest.

Atreus laid on top of the android, still hanging on to the knife, sobbing in pain. The knife seemed to redouble its energy from the D-Type to his own body. As it coursed through his body, he could feel the android struggle under him with new-found strength. But the energy would eventually retreat out of Atreus’ body and course back into the android, effectively ending the struggle. Atreus didn’t look to see what had happened around him. His head was tucked down to his shoulders, as he could only focus on successfully holding the knife handle. The energy had forced its way much farther into Atreus’ body than it had ever, previously. He could feel the burning sensation of his tensing muscles all the way into his chest now. His breathing was shallow to mitigate the wincing pain of his chest expanding.

While focusing on keeping his breathing steady and hanging onto the knife, Atreus felt the sensation of arms around his waist. The force pulled him up from the android’s body, but he hung onto the knife with everything he had left. The force tugged at him harder, but in the stupor generated by the pain he was experiencing Atreus refused to let go. He felt one arm leave his waist, then felt a warm sensation over his hands. A feeling that wasn’t painful like the power of the blade startled him slightly. He peered up to see a black hand gently placed over his. It was A2’s. She was the one holding him. Her hand lifted his fingers from the knife handle and slid underneath his. She gripped the knife and pulled it from the android’s chest and out of Atreus’ hands. Once in her's, the blade dissipated in a flash of light. Atreus’ closed his eyes in exhaustion, opening them only at the sudden sound of a sword driving through loose matter. He looked up to see 2B’s gloved hand push her sword into the D-Type. His eyes closed just before hearing a final slash.

Sensing he would collapse if he tried to stand, A2 sat down with Atreus still in her arms. He was conscious but limp. She placed a hand on his chin and turned him to face her.

“Atreus… Atreus! Answer me—”

She was cut off by a loud crash from behind the wall of sand. Artillery fire had continued throughout their fight, and a fresh volley now entered the sandstorm. The shells’ impacts were still masked by the heavy winds, but in response was a thunderous, groaning roar. The sandstorm abruptly picked up intensity. All wind began to blow in a uniform direction, outwards from the wall of sand. With one final agonizing yell from the center of the storm, sand rushed over the surrounding area in sheets.

Final gusts tore over the desert with such force they would have threatened to sweep up someone of Atreus’ weight, but A2 still held onto the boy. As the sand settled, the sun was abruptly visible, yet the temperature seemed to rise further. The culprit was immediately evident.

Where the sandstorm had just stood now loomed waves of flames. Tall pillars of fire surrounded a titanic cocoon of sand, baked to glass. The casing was cracked in several places, likely damaged by the repeated artillery barrages. Inside the glass was a homogenous, molten liquid. Damage to the structure allowed liquid to escape and the open air caused it to cool and expand. Unceasing shrieking from within seemed to indicate to all that the glass structure had passed critical pressure.

Kratos, Atreus, A2, and 2B watched as a squadron of flight units flew high overhead. Another quickly followed behind. The first squadron was almost directly over the shell when it burst. Jettisoned shards of glass shredded through the first group’s flight units. The second squadron had time to take evasive action.

Molten liquid erupted from the glass cocoon. Instead of rushing forth as a free liquid would, most of the material seemed to maintain an amorphous form. Composed of just some rudimentary head and a pair of limbs, the form lurched forward from its cocoon. Each move the creature made was accompanied by an agonizing chorus of groans and screams.

The remaining flight units engaged the molten form with missile barrages. They seemed ineffective, and the squad turned to make a retreat.

The creature turned to face the retreating air-units as they flew directly over the group of gods and androids. Following a howl, the creature forced one of its arms forward, much farther than the flight units seemed to have anticipated it could. Like a long whip, the molten material rushed forth and knocked four of the six flight units out of the sky. The enormous arm approached the ground vertically, both tossing the decimated flight units and landing some distance away from Atreus, Kratos, A2, and 2B.

Another booming crash of its arm to the Earth crushed the artillery group behind them. The appendages left a wall of bright flames in their wake, as they retreated to their host. The creature continued to lurch forward, attacking any android force that crossed its path.

“We have to get out of here.” Said A2.

But 2B didn’t take her attention away from the monster’s rampage.

“2B!” A2 shouted, trying to snap her fixation. 2B didn’t respond.

“…Shit.” She muttered, turning away to run from the encroaching danger. Still holding Atreus, she tucked him under her arm as she ran.

“I can walk!” The boy protested.

“Shut up.” The android replied as she dashed full speed toward the dunes they climbed earlier.

Kratos stayed back with 2B, also spectating the spectacular rampage. After a moment only filled with the sounds of distant explosions, Kratos spoke.

“Is it what you have been searching for?” He asked.

She glanced back at him quickly. His question may have reminded her of his presence.

“…I can’t tell.” She said, turning back in time to watch the beast bring a drop ship to the ground in one strike. It let out a ghastly chorus of screams as the molten material engulfed the ship, causing it to explode. “It’s in pain.” 2B added.

“Mm. It has taken up quite a fight.”

“No… Every movement is pain, every moment it exists. Like it was never meant to be alive in the first place.” She replied, watching the creature continue its drudge in their general direction.

Kratos didn’t respond.

The orchestra of gunfire had shrunk considerably since AAF forces began engaging the beast. The molten creature had destroyed almost all major android resistance, now. 2B watched the beast pull itself forward with no real objective in sight. The previously homogenous blend of molten material began to cool in places farthest from its center, revealing its composition as mostly metal. The monster’s movements slowed as it cooled.

“What are you waiting for?” A2 asked as she dashed back to Kratos and 2B without Atreus. She looked up at the figure, now perhaps thirty meters away from them, barely moving at all. Large portions of its shoulders and head had darkened from their bright, molten form as the material solidified.

A case of cooler metal was gradually forming. As it did, the beast’s forward movement became less and less stable. Solidified portions, mostly concentrated in the head and chest area, created tension as the molten base continued forward. 

2B, Kratos, and A2 watched as the monster’s mindless directive to move forward toppled it. The body fell in their direction with a final chorus of screams only a few meters from the group. The screaming gradually died down, giving way to a chorus of cries and sobs.

“They sound like…machines.” A2 commented with a grimace.

The creature’s carcass continued to cool, and a shell of machine metal soon fully encased a presumably still-molten core. The body emanated an intense heat. Holes in its imperfect metal casing leaked steam at high pressure. After some time, the cries that replaced the screams were gradually replaced by laughter. The first voices laughed playfully, and more joined in every second. But, when the balance between laughter and cries reached an indistinguishable balance, the nature of the laughter changed from playful to maniacal. Soon the entire chorus laughed uncontrollably at an intense volume.

Atreus made his way to the peak of the dune system where A2 had left him until he caught a view of the fallen monster.

“What is that?” 2B asked, noticing a visible bulge growing between the shoulders of the metal body.

The bowing continued, and the laughter began to die out. Every moment, fewer voices echoed from within. Eventually the desert fell almost silent. 2B, Kratos, and A2 stood quietly in the presence of the metal carcass. After some time, noises could be heard from the body again.

This time, it sounded like metal passing metal. The noises continued to intensify, and it became evident that it was the bulge inside the metal body rotating and picking up speed. The rotation continued to pick up until it generated an unpleasant high-frequency tone. At this point, the material around the bulge had reheated enough to melt again. As the metal peeled back, an oscillating orb was revealed. The orb shined brightly, seemingly from the friction against the surrounding material. It still continued to rotate and pick up speed. Even without continued friction to heat it, the orb generated an almost blinding luminosity, making it difficult to tell if it was still spinning. The high-frequency ringing intensified until it overwhelmed all other sounds in the following moments. In complete silence the orb levitated out of the surrounding metal body, and in an instant, unraveled itself. From a spectator’s point of view, it would seem as if the orb’s white light dominated one’s entire field of vision for a moment, and thereafter returned to inconceivability forever.

The sound of desert winds returned in the instant the orb disappeared. In its place, sitting on the hollow carcass of the creature, was a female figure. The woman sat with her back to A2, 2B, and Kratos. Black hair fell to her shoulders and she wore long robes of white and grey fabric. Moving a hand to help lift herself, she stood up. She stretched, revealing chains wrapped around both forearms. From the chains dangled two short swords Kratos could recognize as the Blades of Chaos.

The woman continued to stretch, turning back in one direction, lifting her arm and rotating it. Her face was pale, and her expression held a slight smirk. Turning back in the other direction, she opened her eyes and noticed the group spectating her. She turned to face Kratos, 2B, and A2, looking down at them with dim red eyes. She smiled, closed her eyes, and waved casually. Lifting a foot, as if to take a step, she disappeared. In an instant, she reappeared standing in the sand just feet in front of 2B.

“Oh fuck!” A2 reacted, taking a step back.

“Hello.” The woman said in a calm, cheery tone. She spoke to the group at hand but didn’t take her eyes off 2B.   

After a moment of silent tension, Kratos spoke up.

“Those blades.”

The woman leaned to the side slightly to look directly at him. She glanced down at the chained swords, lifting her forearms from her sides.

“Oh. These?” She replied, brandishing the blades hanging from her wrists. “They’re yours, right?”

“Mm.” The Spartan replied, still gripping the Leviathan ax.

“How did you know that?” asked 2B.

“They told me.” The woman replied with a chuckle. She took a step toward Kratos, now standing to the left of 2B. “They’re very interesting weapons. A lot of history in these blades.” She stated, taking several more steps toward the Spartan. She looked up at Kratos through narrowed eyes, still holding a knowing smirk as she stopped in front of him.

Kratos met her gaze and returned an expression of indifference. After several moments without a response, the woman spoke again.

“I guess I have you to thank, Kratos. Without these bad boys, I wouldn’t be standing here.”

2B turned to face the black-haired woman.

“What are you talking about?” She inquired in a serious tone.

“Hm?” The woman glanced over her shoulder at 2B. “What do you think melted down all those machines to begin with?” She replied.

2B’s mouth curled into a frown.

“Once I pulled all their goop together, all I needed was some peace to synthesize the molten cores into this form. Of course those obnoxious androids did everything they could to make sure I couldn't get any.” She continued.

“Who are you?” asked 2B.

“…You can call me Lilith.” The woman replied in a flatter tone than she had previously used.

“Are you a machine?” 2B continued questioning the woman. 

“Hmmm. I suppose now I am. This form is, for sure.”

Her response drew confused looks from 2B, A2, and Kratos.

“Ok... You know those creepy girls with the red dresses who used to run the machines’ network?” The woman asked. 

“How do you know about the red girls?” 2B responded.

“Oh. I’m way older than them. Those two developed out of the machines’ communication network thousands of years after the aliens first arrived here. I developed out of the abandoned super-computer network that covered most of the globe before the machine wars.” Lilith replied. 

“I don’t understand. You were made by humans?” The android asked. 

“Mmm. Probably not intentionally. They never planned for their network to interact with networks developed by androids and machine lifeforms. According to records, a group of androids tasked with investigating human settlements found an access point to the old network. I developed my earliest consciousness while they attempted a reboot. The reboot failed, but crosschecks with other terminals gave me my first glimpse at other networks. The machines’ network had claimed old terminals as server space and the androids used minimal security when interfacing with the old super-computer, so both offered pretty straight-forward access. The reboot forced me out of the remaining human-made network but released me to freely interact with information from both the machine and android networks.”

“Why take a physical form? What are your intentions?” 2B continued her interrogation.

“Well, when an opportunity like this pops up, you don’t pass waiting for a better one.” The black-haired woman replied, gesturing down at the blade dangling from her right arm. “For a long time, I kind of assumed the girls would realize my ambition, but when the network was eliminated, I was stuck waiting around again.”

“And what is your ambition?” Kratos inquired impatiently. His question drew the woman’s gaze from 2B to him.

“…The utter destruction of Android Central Command.” Lilith replied evenly. She glanced up to the sky with a squint. Looking back down, she spoke again. “But first, I have to find my Adam.”

“Adam?” A2 pondered aloud.

“Adam is dead. I killed him.” 2B interjected, drawing the smirking woman’s attention to her.

“Wrong.” Lilith replied, stepping closer to the android until they stood face-to-face perhaps a foot apart. She gazed at 2B's face with wide red eyes.

“You’ve killed him, true. But he’s not dead, and I’ll find him.” She continued. Leaning in closer to 2B, she spoke again.

“I’ll find him before you do.” The woman whispered into her ear before phasing out of sight to appear standing back on the hollowed metal body. 2B clenched her fists tightly at her sides.

Lilith bent down and placed a hand on the carcass she had emerged from. The sound of metal abruptly bending was matched by the contortion of the material under her hand. After a moment, a set of large metal wings resembling a bird’s protruded from her back.

“As for the blades, Ghost of Sparta. I don’t really need them. The thing is…I just don’t believe you’re worthy of them. Not anymore.” She stated flatly before forcefully crossing her arms. The action whipped the Blades of Chaos towards Kratos, 2B, and A2 at great speed. The weapons landed on either side of the group with a crash and left high walls of fire in their wake as they returned to Lilith's hands. She leaped high into the air with the help of the hollow wings and flew quickly out of sight.


	8. Closer and Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2B and A2 recover from the events in the desert while Kratos and Atreus head back to the Forest Castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took me forever and not in a creative sense. More in the life sense. When I had the energy to write I didn't have the time and when I had the time I could rarely muster the energy. Hopefully some of the folks who started reading this story will be happy to continue it and I'll keep producing chapters until this story is done. How fast that happens will probably be most up to feedback.

2B's eyes opened to see an uneven white ceiling.   
  
Having no operator, pod, or scanner to run her boot sequence, the task fell to backup mechanisms present within her body's internal computer. Unlike the fixed and guided process of a protocol reboot, all of 2B's sensory systems came online at once.  
  
From silence came a sudden wave of sounds, most prominently the rush of heavy winds outside. The ceiling, made of clay or dense mud, sunk down toward the center of the single room interior. The room: small and dusty with little light save for one source coming from behind 2B.   
  
She felt a layer of dust had formed on her face, holding her skin with gentle grip. She also noticed slowly churning blades of a ceiling fan out of her peripheral vision. A white painted body met 5 wood panel blades. The whole fixture wobbled as it turned, letting out a steady yet arrhythmic click that couldn't be properly anticipated.  
  
The android stared at the fan for what felt like minutes, but perhaps it was only a moment before she moved slightly and felt the tug of an airy fabric over her body. Glancing down, 2B noticed she was lying tucked under a light-grey sheet. She was on a futon mat tucked into the corner of the small abode. Looking down to the sight beyond her feet, a bland and mostly empty space. Only the corner was home to two stacks of crates, 5 high. Each crate was filled with mechanical parts, many not easily found outside of AAF caches.  
  
Growing anxious at the sight of valuable goods, 2B darted a glance to her left, originally intending to scan the rest of the small room. She noticed A2 immediately. The android sat in a fold-out chair just a few feet away. Legs crossed, A2 met 2B's gaze. Her expression was hard to read. She seemed at first either anxious or angry. But ultimately her expression was lost beyond waves of calm. Whatever she really felt, she didn't seem interested in showing it to 2B blatantly. In her hands she held the small white and gold knife she had taken back from Atreus in the desert, toying it between her hands absentmindedly. The metal sheathe caught dusty light effectively, returning a warmed glow, cloudy yellow, as it passed between the android's fingers.  
  
"Where are we?" 2B asked in a quiet tone. She spoke softly to meet the relative volume of her unfamiliar surroundings.   
  
A2 only stared back for a moment before she sat up straight, phasing the white knife away before she answered.   
  
"A safehouse." Her voice sounded small, properly captured by the compact space they shared. 2B must have let some incredulous expression cross her face in the next instant, because the long-haired woman's expression tightened before she spoke again.  
  
"What? You think you're the only one with safehouses?"   
  
"...You set up a safehouse?" She knew immediately she shouldn't have responded that way, as A2's agitated expression deepened to an outright frown.  
  
"Ok. Rude. And no. When Pod went down in the desert it alerted other units. They found us about an hour after that woman took off, and they brought us here. We're not that far from the battlefield, actually."  
  
"I...I don't remember that..." 2B responded. Though only held down by a tucked sheet, she laid with her head flat against the pillow roll, craning her neck to meet A2's eyes.   
  
"Because you collapsed like right after she left."  
  
"..She?"  
  
"Yea, Lilith. Come on. I know you remember."   
  
"How long have I been unconscious?" 2B asked, looking back up at the ceiling.  
  
"Not long, a few hours." A2 replied.  
  
"Where are the others?" 2B had thought of Atreus upon seeing the little white knife in A2's hands. After so long without hearing neither his nor his father's voices from outside, she assumed they were absent.  
  
"I sent them back to the Forest Castle with Pod." A2 replied.  
  
"Is it safe? How was Atreus?" 2B asked, her tone louder now, fuller.  
  
"I'm sure Pod wouldn't knowingly take them into any trouble. And so what if they do run into something? You've seen the big man fight. I'm sure they'll be alright." A2 replied.   
  
2B turned her face away from A2 and nodded. "We'll have to meet them there, then."  
  
She lay staring at the ceiling quietly for a moment before moving her left hand under the covers to her right forearm to inspect the wound she remembered recieving. A heavy thud of pain pulsing up her arm affirmed it was still there. She felt around on the area, feeling neither the familiar texture of her glove nor her skin; bandages. She moved her hand from her forearm to her stomach; more bandages. Moving her hand up from her stomach she continued her inspection before quickly retracted her touch. She sat up with wince.  
  
"A2!" She almost yelled, clutching the sheet to her chest. "Where are my clothes?"  
  
"Do you mean the leotard that was soaked in blood or the torn dress that was merely stained with it?...Seriously, 2B." A2 responded, no longer looking back at her.  
  
"What?" 2B responded, slouching slightly, surrendering some of her alarm.  
  
"What." A2 repeated in sarcastic astonishment. The android stood from her seat and walked across the room. She opened a small set of doors to a closet.   
  
A2 disappeared behind the doors and began rifling through the closet's contents. She emerged moments later with a few hangers, as if she had actually chosen them in advance.   
  
"Don't ask me why, but Pod thought to stock the closet." She said, laying the clothes over 2B's legs.  
  
"Where did they even find this stuff." 2B commented while looking through the garments. Among them was a dress and leotard closely matching her old outfit, likely collected from an old supply stock sent to the resistance camp at the start of her final descent mission. Others were inexplicably aquired AAF uniform pieces and older model YoRHa uniforms.  
  
"I have no idea. And those are the winners. You don't need to know what else is in there." A2 replied with an amused smirk.   
  
2B chose the dress and leotard, seperating them from the rest of the pile.  
  
"Here. I found these while I was looking around before." A2 said, holding out a handful of black fabric for 2B. "Your gloves were pretty far gone."  
  
After a summary inspection, she realized they were arm bands. 2B pulled one over her right hand, slipping her middle finger through a hole in the fabric and slowly pulling the sleeve up above her elbow. It fit snugly against her arm. She repeated the process on her left hand before glancing back at the pile of clothes.   
  
The truth is she didn't choose a replacement of her old outfit out of attachment. Wearing the clothes of a fallen YoRHa soldier would be disrespectful to their memory, she thought. And the thought of wearing an AAF uniform filled her with illogical dread, an overwhelming response to the idea of another set of lifetimes in service.   
  
2B gathered the garments she intended to wear and stood up, still clutching the sheet to her chest with her left hand.   
  
"...Turn around." She ordered quietly, glancing up at A2.  
  
"Oh my God. Because you've got something I haven't seen before." A2 replied as she performed an about-face with some dramatic exasperation.  
  
A2 stood and stared at the lumpy wall for a moment before she allowed her gaze to wander to the small window looking out on the desert. Outside, winds tossed a blanket of sand over the neighboring structures. Small clots of material flew by as well, hitting the clay buildings with dense thuds. A2 imagined traveling through this frenzy, and it made her feel anxious. She didn't like how the elements cut off the senses or how the landscape mostly repeated until it abruptly gave way to the forest zone.  
  
"....Ok." 2B said, tugging at the dress around her waist until the fabric laid flat.  
  
A2 turned around as 2B ran a hand through her hair to release any trapped under her collar. The black dress left a small window exposing her upper back and shoulders, revealing extensive bandage work focused around the wound near her collarbone.   
  
Looking down, 2B saw a thin pink line forming under the bandages over her chest. She placed her hand on the mark, resting it there a moment before glancing up at A2.  
  
"When did you learn to dress wounds?" 2B asked slowly rotating her left shoulder backwards in small circles.   
  
"Oh, a long time ago, bud...You know we don't have to leave right this second. I could redress that if it's bothering you." A2 commented, pointing to the shoulder 2B favored and noticing the pace to which the android seemed to be preparing for departure.   
  
"Where's my visor?" 2B asked.  
  
"...Right here." A2 replied, taking the black band off of a small table and handing it to her.  
  
************  
"Boy." Kratos called out to his son. "What is the matter?"  
  
Atreus had ventured a small distance out in front of his father and Pod 042. During the extent of their return journey to the Forest Castle, Kratos and Atreus had let Pod 042 lead the way absolutely.   
  
Atreus didn't respond immediately. He looked forward into the treeline, squinting hard as if it would let him see through solid branches and leaves to what was ahead.  
  
"Boy." Kratos repeated.  
  
"I think..I heard something." Atreus replied, turning his head back towards his father while still looking forward.  
  
"What do you hear?" Kratos asked with apparent interest.  
  
"I don't know...It sounded like a thud, I guess."  
  
"Just one?" Kratos asked. They had both stopped now, still standing some distance apart. Atreus nodded.  
  
"Keep listening. Tell me if you hear it again." Kratos began walking again as he spoke, closing the distance between him and his son.   
  
They walked for a short while with invigorated attention to their surroundings. Kratos now stood in front of Atreus, and both scanned the forthcoming treeline as they continued. Pod 042 stood rearguard. Without orders, the pod patiently scanned the forest behind the group as it followed Kratos and Atreus.   
  
"This is the direction?" Kratos addressed Pod 042 simply.   
  
"Correct." Pod replied. They seemed to enjoy, or at least be familiar with, the succinct nature of Kratos' communication.   
  
"The destination is within three kilometers." The pod announced. With no context for what that meant, Kratos and Atreus pressed on.  
  
Moments later Atreus felt the thud again some distance out in front of the group. Maybe he had only felt the first one, too, so fleeting he had mistaken it for a sound. The boy glanced up at his father.  
  
"Did you feel that?" Atreus asked. His tone seemed too loud for their surroundings now. Kratos looked up from the boy to scan the treeline without a response. Strangely, the chorus of natural sounds present when they first entered the Forest Zone was quiet here, though not absent. From the treetops a few birds whistled into the forest, and a small symphony of crickets and other bugs filled out the notes between. Besides that, the area seemed incredibly still, just as Atreus and Kratos were, awaiting the next thud.  
  
And it came. Some seconds of silence met another thud, then shortly after, another. Kratos responded by reaching back for his shield, unsure of what he could expect, given his encounters so far.   
  
"Should we turn back?" Asked Atreus. He posed the recommendation knowing that if there was danger, and something happened to the pod, he and his father would have no way of finding A2 or 2B themselves.   
  
"...We move carefully. If there is a situation we should not confront, we leave before we are noticed. Understood?" Kratos replied, shield in hand.   
  
"Mhm." Atreus hummed quietly, and they continued.   
  
It seemed even quieter now. The birds and the bugs still buzzed, but hushed. They seemed far away, farther away from Kratos, Atreus, and pod. Perhaps they were simply avoiding the source of the impacts, and it was the group that moved farther from them.  
  
From there on they stuck close to tree trunks and obfuscated their advances with whatever vegetation could effectively hide them. Pod 042 retook forward position so they could lead without audible communication.   
  
The absence of any new thuds made Atreus anxious. It felt like whatever was in here had noticed them and quit their task. But with each passing moment of relative silence the woods began to feel so empty it seemed almost impossible that they weren't alone. Still, he could not accept that it was over.   
  
Soon the group came upon the old training grounds, seemingly as empty as it had been on their original visit, with one exception. At the far end of the training yard, a single machine lifeform laid facedown in the dirt. The metal plating on its back was torn and creased outwards, leaving a sizeable opening to its inner mechanism.  
  
Kratos stopped as he noticed the body. It was impossible to ignore the possibility that whatever they had been hearing was related to the machine. Still, it was possible this body was old and could've even been a rogue handled by either machines or androids. This was the moment he had discussed with Atreus in brief beforehand. What role would they play in the worst case scenario if they don't turn back now? Out of his peripheral vision he saw Atreus step forward, anticipating he would ask something.   
  
Before Atreus could, the machine body whirred and clicked to life.  
  
Cracking or clanking, the sound of unnatural mechanisms engaged in an unintended process. Sounds of displaced belts and the pops of failing circuitry continued as Atreus and Kratos approached the apparently harmless body with Pod 042 in tow. After a few moments, the dilapidated machine fell silent.  
  
"What do you think happened to it?" Atreus asked.  
  
"I do not know. But be on your guard." Kratos responded, taking the ax from his back into his right hand. The machine's lingering functionality hinted that its assault could have been recent and its assailant still possibly close by.   
  
The air hung quietly as it had been until, predictably, another thud shook the ground. Another followed shortly after, like a steady beat set to announce a crescendo.   
  
"Should we turn back?" Atreus asked. His father stood silently for a moment before turning to address Pod 042.  
  
"Drone. Where are 2B and A2 now?"  
  
"Processing...A2 and 2B are together, headed North by Northeast, approximately 20 kilometers from this position."  
  
"..."  
  
"It appears that they are heading towards the Forest Castle, as well." Pod 042 clarified after the blank stares they recieved.   
  
"We could pull back and wait for them. How long would that take?" Atreus asked.   
  
"At their current rate, they will reach the Forest Castle in approximately 3 hours." Pod 042 replied.  
  
"We cannot wait that long. We would risk being discovered while learning nothing about our adversary... We will move slowly and gather what information we can. This way we'll have something for the androids when they get here." Kratos stated. Atreus nodded in response.  
  
The Forest Castle courtyard was not far ahead, in the same direction as the offending sounds. The group moved forward, slowly.   
  
More thuds could be heard intermittently, and as they got closer, the origins of the sounds were revealed to be some distance from one another. Closer now, the group could hear the snapping of tree branches that preluded the dense impacts.   
  
Beyond the brush was a sizable clearing where the group could plainly see more broken machine bodies. Their body compartments were split or shattered like the first machine they approached. Before anyone could speak a large shadow passed overhead and another thud could be heard off to the right of the group.   
  
Atreus looked to Kratos with concern. Kratos continued to look toward the treeline in front of them, in the direction of the castle.   
  
"Let's move." Kratos ordered as he began to walk again. Atreus and Pod followed. They could hear movement up ahead from multiple angles but pressed on towards the courtyard.   
  
The group crept through a thin wooded area between the clearing and the castle until they could see the castle stairs and courtyard through the trees.   
  
In the courtyard and all over the stairs to the castle were dozens of machine bodies, many brandishing weaponry and shields. Several large machines were broken into pieces and all brandished a sizeable hole in their body cavities.   
  
The large shadow passed over the courtyard again and this time a machine released from its clutches came to the ground with a loud crash. The machine's body broke into pieces on impact, but it still sported a disfigured body cavity similar to the others.  
  
Hearing the loud crash of the machine falling just yards away from Atreus startled him. He fell back into the bushes behind him. The sound rang out distinctly from the machine falling. The following moments were silent until the sound of beating wings filled the air.   
  
Across the courtyard, out of the group's sight, was a single loud impact. The situation had become tense. Atreus quickly picked himself up out of the bush and traded glances with his father, who was inching further forward to catch a glimpse at what had just landed.   
  
Kratos knew they had been spotted by the complete silence that followed the impact. Whatever it was, it had heard Atreus in the bushes and waited for a followup to confirm their presence. A retreat would have to be perfectly silent; impossible, Kratos thought. He moved forward just enough to peer under the treeline at the castle entrance.   
  
He could see the legs of what had perched itself atop the looming archway leading to the Forest Castle doors. Kratos also saw a set of greenish bronze wings at its sides, a similar color to the machine bodies strewn all around him. They shone brightly and were hard to look directly at, giving off a reflection of the sunlight.   
  
Taking another step forward, he could see the full figure. An android's body with bright metal wings scanned the treeline before settling its sights on Kratos as he stepped forward. The creature looked on Kratos through a metallic mask matching its radiant wings, hiding its expression. Kratos held the Leviathan ax in his hand as he stared back intensely, waiting for the winged creature to make the first move. The beast craned its neck to the side as its gaze held. It began to let out small hums and chirps in a broken voice but did nothing else.  
  
Kratos could hear the sounds of more wings beating in the distance as they got closer. Soon another winged android emerged from behind the castle walls and landed next to the first. Another came from overhead, and another came from their right flank. They all landed atop the entrance seemingly to observe Kratos. One still held in its hands a small machine that appeared to no longer function. The creature unceremoniously held the machine out and plunged an arm into its body cavity. The crunching and piercing sounds of manipulated metal lasted only seconds before the android retracted its arm. In its hand was the machine's core, a radiantly brilliant object once sought after by YoRHa as a means to create black boxes for combat androids.   
  
The android released the machine, allowing it to fall from atop the castle entrance and tumble down the steps. It then placed the machine core against its chest. The object began to phase through the android's material body. Its body tensed and its wings spasmed as it accepted the core into its own.  
  
The androids continued to assess Kratos' presence, briefly trading glances and broken sounds with one another. After a moment they fell silent, and Kratos tensed in anticipation. There was quite a distance between them and him, but he had no idea how quickly they could reach him or what they would attack with. He stood still as they broke into noise again, sounding similar to a flock of birds as they seemed to bicker. But soon, one by one, the winged androids took off from the castle entrance. With one strong beat of their wings each they lifted high into the air. They departed quickly, and soon Kratos, Atreus, and Pod 042 stood alone in the castle courtyard amongst the machine wreckage. Atreus moved out of the bushes he was hidden behind to stand next to his father.   
  
Without a word the group approached the castle doors. Kratos beat a rhythmic knock into the heavy doors and optimistically awaited a response from within. 


End file.
